Pune's metro network set to expand to 200 km to tackle traffic congestion, announces CM Fadnavis

• Maharashtra plans 200-km integrated metro network for Pune region
• Hinjawadi–Shivajinagar Metro Line to open soon for IT commuters
• Metro ridership hits 5.75 lakh during Ganpati festival

Did our AI summary help?

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has announced plans to develop a 200-kilometre integrated metro network spanning Pune, Pimpri-Chinchwad and the Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA) zone, as the state government moves to address mounting traffic congestion in one of the country's fastest-growing urban centres.

Fadnavis made the announcement on Sunday whilst inaugurating Metro Bhavan, the new administrative headquarters of Maha-Metro in Pune, and later took to X to share his vision. He described the facility as the "nerve centre for the entire Metro operation," equipped with advanced automatic signalling, command control systems and disaster management protocols.

Pointing to the scale of the challenge, the Chief Minister said Pune requires large-scale infrastructure solutions and directed metro authorities to abandon phase-wise planning in favour of a unified, comprehensive approach. He instructed officials to prepare a single Detailed Project Report (DPR) to connect missing links and growth centres, including the new airport and emerging industrial zones.

Fadnavis said the Hinjawadi–Shivajinagar Metro Line is progressing rapidly and is expected to open for public use shortly. The corridor, when operational, is set to ease the daily commute of thousands of IT professionals travelling between Hinjewadi and central Pune.

Once that route becomes functional, roughly 55 km of metro lines will be operational across the Pune metropolitan area. A further 55 km is currently under construction, whilst approximately 80 km of additional routes remain in the planning stage.

In his post on X, the Chief Minister pointed to record ridership of nearly 5.75 lakh passengers during the Ganpati festival as evidence of the city's embrace of the metro, calling the service "the lifeline of the city." He also noted what he described as the "unmatched speed and precision" with which the Pune Metro had been executed nationally.

The Chief Minister also urged the Maha-Metro leadership to adopt global benchmarks by compressing project timelines from five years to under three years. He stressed the need to integrate the metro with bus services and other transit modes to ensure a dependable and pollution-free commute for every Pune resident.

Deputy Chief Minister Sunetratai Pawar, Minister Chandrakant Patil, Minister of State Madhuritai Misal, Member of Parliament Dr Medhatai Kulkarni, MLA Bhimrao Tapkir, Pune Mayor Manjushatai Nagpure and other dignitaries were present at the event.