Pune's most delayed infrastructure project has missed yet another self-imposed deadline. The Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority had publicly committed to launching metro operations between Hinjawadi and Baner on June 15. That date has now been shelved without a formal announcement, with officials quietly pushing the launch into July, the fourth time in under 18 months that the opening of Line 3 has been postponed.
The pattern is by now familiar to the lakhs of IT professionals and daily commuters who travel the congested Hinjawadi corridor every working day. The 23-kilometre route linking Rajiv Gandhi Infotech Park to Shivajinagar Pune's third metro line, implemented by PMRDA through a public-private partnership with Pune IT City Metro Rail Limited, was originally due to open in March 2025. Since then, a succession of dates have been announced and abandoned.
According to PMRDA officials, more than 95 percent of the construction work on the first phase, covering 12 stations between Maan and Ramnagar in Baner, has been completed. The authority has written to the Commissioner of Metro Rail Safety requesting a formal safety inspection, which is expected to take place before the end of May or in early June.
Once the inspection concludes, addressing any flagged concerns and completing the administrative approval procedures is estimated to take approximately one month, placing the earliest realistic launch date squarely in July.
"The Metro Railway Safety Commissioner has given the date for the inspection by the end of this month. After the inspection is completed, the issues raised will be worked on. The entire process of opening the metro route up to 12 stations will be completed by the end of June. After that, a decision will be taken to start the metro service in July." said Rinaj Pathan, Chief Engineer, PMRDA.
Under the current revised plan, Phase 1 operations, spanning the 12 stations from Maan to Ramnagar, are being targeted for July. Phase 2, which extends the line through a further 11 stations from High Street in Baner to the final terminus at Shivajinagar, is now being aimed at October 2026. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had earlier publicly announced May and July as the respective launch dates for the two phases; both targets have been missed.
For thousands of IT employees commuting daily through Hinjawadi, Pune’s most congested stretch, the delay is a recurring frustration. Once operational, the metro is expected to cut travel time and ease long-standing road pressure from the expanding IT hub. The real question now is when it will finally begin service.
