Pune: The long wait for Pune Metro Line 3 appears to be nearing its end. The 23-km elevated metro corridor connecting Hinjewadi and Shivajinagar has entered its final phase of construction, with the first stretch expected to be completed by the end of June.
Officials of Pune IT City Metro Rail Limited (PITCMRL) said during a media interaction on Wednesday that the first phase of the project, comprising 12 of the corridor's 23 stations, is scheduled for completion by June 30, while work on the second phase is expected to conclude by the end of August.
The first phase covers the stretch from Late R.K. Laxman Museum station in Baner to Maan station. According to PITCMRL, passenger operations on this section are targeted to begin around July 15, subject to statutory approvals and the official inauguration by the Maharashtra government.
Once the second phase is completed, metro services are expected to begin on most of the remaining corridor. However, Bhosalenagar and Shivajinagar stations will take longer to complete due to slower construction progress.
Speaking at the media interaction, Anil Kumar Saini, CEO of Pune IT City Metro Rail Limited, said, "By December, operations will remain pending at only two stations, while all others will be ready for operations. The entire project will be completed by March-end next year."
According to PITCMRL, the entire 23-station Hinjewadi–Shivajinagar Metro Line 3 is expected to become fully operational by March 2027.
The initial Maan–R.K. Laxman Museum stretch will operate from 6 am to 11:30 pm, matching the schedules of Pune Metro's Line 1 (PCMC–Swargate) and Line 2 (Vanaz–Ramwadi) to ensure seamless connectivity across the city's metro network.
Apart from improving connectivity between Pune's IT hub and the city centre, Metro Line 3 is also set to create a milestone in public transport. PITCMRL announced that all trains on the corridor will be operated by women train operators, making it the first metro corridor to be entirely run by women operators. Nearly 100 women train operators are being recruited and trained by Keolis.
