Pune: The 23-km third Metro corridor, connecting Hinjewadi and Shivajinagar, is unlikely to meet its March-end completion target, with officials from the Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA) now suggesting that full passenger services across the entire route may not begin until June or July.The project is being developed under a public-private partnership (PPP) with Tata Group-led Pune IT City Metro Rail Limited. Officials said on Saturday that construction of the corridor is about 94% complete. According to the earlier schedule, the project was expected to be completed by the end of March, allowing operations to begin in April following trial runs.“Although trial runs are being conducted across the entire stretch, substantial work is still pending, especially at several stations,” a senior PMRDA official saidAt present, 13 of the 23 stations on the corridor—stretching from Maan to MITCON Institute of Management—have been completed. Construction and finishing works are still underway at the remaining stations. Sources said around 15 to 17 stations are nearly 90% complete, and efforts are being intensified to speed up the remaining work along the corridor.Senior PMRDA officials confirmed that trial runs are already underway across the full alignment. However, passenger services can only begin once the concessionaire formally confirms operational readiness and the necessary approvals are secured.“The final letter from the concessionaire regarding the start of operations is awaited,” an official said, adding that a decision on the timeline would be taken once the operator confirms operational readiness.While there has been some pressure to open the corridor in phases, transport experts said the PPP structure of the project makes partial operations difficult.“In a project structured under a PPP concession agreement, operating only a section of the corridor is not financially or operationally viable,” said a transport planning expert familiar with the project.Officials indicated that the more practical approach would be to start operations along the entire route while keeping a few stations temporarily closed if their finishing work is still pending.Residents said the repeated extension of deadlines has caused frustration, though many believe safety and thorough testing should take priority over meeting political timelines.Rohan Kulkarni, an IT professional and resident of Baner, said commuters have been hearing revised deadlines for years, which has naturally led to frustration given the heavy traffic on this stretch.“However, it would be better to start services only after all tests and approvals are completed rather than rushing the launch to meet a political deadline, as it could create bigger problems later,” Kulkarni said.A Wakad resident echoed similar views. “The delay is disappointing, but caution is also necessary. People are eager for the Metro to begin services as it would significantly improve daily travel, but operations should start only once the system is fully prepared and safe,” she said.The line is the first fully elevated Metro corridor in the country to be developed under a PPP model.Earlier, Pune MP Murlidhar Mohol reviewed the progress of the project and said 13 stations are expected to be ready by April 2026, while work on several others is nearing completion. He also instructed officials to prepare a detailed project report for a proposed Metro line linking Khadakwasla and Hinjewadi as part of plans to further expand the network.
