Air passengers in Pune are set to gain from a new Metro corridor that will connect Kalyani Nagar station with Lohegaon airport. This link will integrate the airport with Metro services throughout Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad, easing travel difficulties for flyers.
Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation and Pune MP Murlidhar Mohol announced on Wednesday, following a meeting with Pune Metro and civic officials, that the route for the new Metro line linking Pune International Airport has been finalised from Kalyani Nagar to the airport. After receiving clearance from the Pune Municipal Corporation, the proposal will be forwarded to the Maharashtra government and subsequently to the Centre for final approval.
Currently, passengers traveling to Pune airport by Metro must disembark midway at Yerawada station and then find alternative transport to reach the terminal. Consequently, many choose not to use the Metro and depend on private taxi services instead. Last year, Mohol instructed the Maharashtra Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (Maha Metro), the agency responsible for executing the Pune Metro rail projects, to propose options for linking Pune airport with the city’s Metro rail network.
The Pune Metro currently operates on Line 1 (PCMC to Swargate) and Line 2 (Vanaz to Ramwadi, with Kalyani Nagar station located on Line 2. The Civil Court station serves as an interchange for Lines 1 and 2 and will also connect the soon-to-be-operational Line 3 (Hinjewadi to Shivajinagar). The proposed Line 4 (Khadakwasla to Kharadi) will also link to Kalyani Nagar station, enabling airport connectivity from all four Metro lines.
Mohol also instructed Pune Metro officials to construct a double-decker flyover from Vanaz to Chandni Chowk as part of the sanctioned Metro route extension. He said, “A decision has been taken to build a double-decker flyover from the Garbage Depot to Chandni Chowk, with the lower deck designated for vehicular traffic and the upper deck for the Metro. This will help ease congestion on Paud Road, where the extended Metro corridor from Vanaz to Chandni Chowk is under development. The Pune Metro administration has been directed to promptly prepare a revised route plan.”
Mohol also called on the Metro administration to construct a double-decker flyover from Paud Phata to Vandevi Temple, arguing that it would improve travel for residents and commuters heading from Deccan to Warje. He noted that such a project would remove traffic bottlenecks at roughly five signal junctions.
Mohol also directed Pune Metro officials to extend the proposed Shewalewadi–Hadapsar–Katraj corridor up to Chandni Chowk–Wakad, to facilitate Metro expansion across all parts of the city, and to prepare a detailed project report for this extended route. He also reviewed the current progress of proposals submitted to the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation, including the Bhakti Shakti Chowk road widening project and the extension of Metro lines.
