Pune, 21st September 2026: Pune Metro continued to witness heavy passenger movement during Ganeshotsav, with 3,27,746 passengers travelling by 9 pm on Sunday, September 20. The increase in ridership comes as large crowds gather in the city centre to visit Ganpati mandals and participate in the ongoing festival.
The District Court Metro station recorded 68,652 passengers changing corridors, making it one of the busiest points on the network during the festival.
The stations that recorded the highest passenger movement by 9 pm were:
Mandai: 50,847 passengers
PCMC: 36,243 passengers
Swargate: 35,601 passengers
Ramwadi: 27,695 passengers
PMC: 20,724 passengers
The figures indicate the growing dependence on Metro services as people travel towards the central areas of Pune amid festival crowds and traffic restrictions.
Metro ridership has risen significantly since the beginning of Ganeshotsav. The network recorded 4,78,477 passengers on September 19, crossing the four-lakh mark in a single day. The previous two days also saw strong passenger numbers, with 3,86,816 passengers on September 18 and 3,72,832 passengers on September 17.
The sustained increase shows that Metro has become a major mode of transport for people travelling during Ganeshotsav, particularly to the crowded central parts of the city.
With the final days of Ganeshotsav approaching, passenger numbers are expected to rise further as devotees gather for the Ganpati immersion procession.
Pune Metro has announced 41 hours of continuous service on September 25 and 26 to handle the expected rush during the immersion period.
The extended operation is aimed at providing an alternative to road transport and helping commuters avoid traffic congestion in the city centre. The combination of extended Metro services and large festival crowds could result in another new daily ridership record during the final days of Ganeshotsav.