Pune, 16th July 2026: Much-awaited Shivajinagar-Hinjawadi Metro (Line 3) has once again failed to meet its announced launch schedule. The Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA), which had promised to begin passenger operations on the first phase by July 15, has been unable to open the corridor, extending the long wait for commuters.
The delay means the project's launch now depends entirely on receiving the mandatory safety clearance from the Commissioner of Metro Rail Safety (CMRS). Passenger services can begin only after the inspection report is submitted and any required changes are completed.
On June 10, PMRDA Commissioner Dr. Abhijit Chaudhari had announced that the first phase of Metro Line 3 would become operational by July 15. He had also stated that work on five more stations, including Shivajinagar, would be completed by the end of August, while the remaining stations were targeted for completion by December.
However, the first phase has not been commissioned, marking another missed deadline for the project. PMRDA has made multiple announcements about the launch in the past, but none have fulfilled.
Officials of Pune IT City Metro Rail Limited (PITCMRL), the company executing the project, said the first phase is operationally ready but cannot be opened until the CMRS grants approval.
A six-member CMRS team inspected the corridor and all 12 stations between July 5 and July 9. The inspection report is still awaited. If the report recommends any modifications, those will be carried out before passenger services begin.
The first operational stretch includes 12 stations: Man, Man MIDC Circle Phase 2, Man Bus Station, Hinjawadi Phase 2, Hinjawadi Phase 2 (Circle 1), Padmabhushan Chowk, Shri Shiv Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Chowk, Hinjawadi Phase 1, Wakad Chowk, Shri Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex (Balewadi), MITCON (Balewadi), and R.K. Laxman Museum (Balewadi).
Approved in 2017, the 23.3-km Pune Metro Line 3 is being developed under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model by PMRDA, Tata Group, and Siemens at an estimated cost of around ₹8,000 crore. The metro system will be operated by Keolis for the next 35 years after commissioning.
The CMRS functions under the Union Ministry of Civil Aviation, where Murlidhar Mohol, Pune's Member of Parliament, serves as Minister of State. Although the inspection was completed on July 9, the final safety report has not yet been submitted to PITCMRL, delaying the launch of passenger operations.
Until the CMRS issues its clearance and all required safety observations are addressed, the Hinjawadi–Shivajinagar Metro will remain off-limits to commuters despite being largely ready for service.
