Pune Metro Line 3 Nears Commercial Operations, Ushering in a New Era of Urban Mobility

• Successfully completes end-to-end trial runs across its entire the 23-km fully elevated corridor.
• In the first phase, a 13.3-km section between Maan and R. K. Laxman Museum, comprising 12 stations, will be operationalised.
• Once fully operational, it will cut travel time between Shivajinagar and Hinjawadi by around 45 min from the current 1.5 hours, reducing commute duration by over than 50%.
Pune Metro Line 3, also known as the Puneri Metro, has
successfully completed end-to-end trial runs across its entire corridor,
marking a significant milestone towards the commencement of commercial
operations. The 23-kilometre fully elevated metro corridor connecting Hinjawadi
with Shivajinagar has now entered its final phase of readiness towards starting
revenue operations.
The project has achieved all major construction
and systems milestones. Viaduct construction has been completed across the
entire corridor, all 23-metro station box are ready, and entry–exit works
are in advanced stages. The track laying, third rail electrification and
signaling systems have been completed for the entire corridor. The RDSO
oscillation trials for the rolling stock have been completed and the
approval from Commissioner of Metro Rail Safety (CMRS) and Ministry of
Railway (MOR) have been obtained for rolling stock for a maximum
operating speed of 85 KMPH. The successful completion of end-to-end trial runs
further demonstrates the corridor's operational readiness ahead of passenger
services.
The corridor will be commissioned in a phased manner.
In the first phase, the 13.3-kilometre stretch between Maan and R. K. Laxman
Museum comprising 12 stations will be ready for opening by June
2026 upon receipt of the requisite statutory approvals. In the subsequent
phase, the corridor will be extended to District Court to facilitate the
integration with Maha Metro network. Once the entire corridor becomes
operational, Puneri Metro Line 3 will significantly transform urban mobility by
reducing travel time between Shivajinagar and Hinjawadi to nearly 45 minutes,
compared to the current travel time of about 1.5 hours, resulting in over a 50%
reduction in journey time.
Speaking on the progress of the project, Mr Anil Kumar Saini, CEO, Pune IT City Metro Rail Limited (PITCMRL), said " This metro corridor will redefine the way people travel across the city by providing seamless connectivity between city centre to the IT hub, two of Pune's most important economic and commercial centres. The corridor is expected to provide a faster, safer and sustainable mode of transport for thousands of daily commuters, particularly IT professionals, students and residents travelling along one of Pune's busiest mobility corridors. The corridor is expected to reduce the congestion on roads and encourage mobility shift from fossil fuel vehicles to sustainable public transport. The corridor will also foster Government of Maharashtra’s vision of transforming the region into a globally competitive manufacturing and GCC hub.”
The project is equipped with state-of-the-art
metro rail technologies including Communications Based Train Control (CBTC),
modern Make in India rolling stock, and smart ticketing systems. The project
has undertaken various initiatives on sustainability like roof top solar
panels, rainwater harvesting, EV charging points, solid waste management, last
mile connectivity etc.
Demonstrating its commitment to promoting gender inclusion, Pune Metro Line 3 trains will be operated by an all-women cadre of trained train operators. Keolis, the Operations and Maintenance partner for the project, has already recruited nearly 100 women train operators, making it a landmark initiative in fostering greater participation of women in urban public transport.
