Hinjewadi IT Hub Gets Traffic Relief as ‘MetroZip’ Bus Service Restarts After 5 Years
PUNE, May 13, 2026 – In a decisive move to untangle the infamous traffic knots of the Hinjewadi IT corridor, the Hinjawadi Industries Association (HIA) has officially relaunched the ‘MetroZip’ bus service, ending a five-year hiatus caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
With the Pune Metro extension still under construction and thousands of tech professionals returning to full-time work, the HIA has stepped in to offer what it calls a “smart commute” – a shared, app-based bus network designed to pull private vehicles off the gridlocked streets.
80 Buses, 70 Routes, 500+ Pickup Points
Launched on May 5, 2026, the revived service is already moving 3,000 to 4,000 employees daily. Operated in partnership with mobility startup Routematic, the fleet consists of 80 modern 32-seater buses covering 70 distinct routes across Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad (PCMC).
With over 500 boarding points near major residential clusters, tickets are priced between ₹100 and ₹200 per trip, aligned with morning and evening office peaks.
Six new routes have been proposed to expand reach further, including:
- Surya Hospital to Thakarvasti
- Nandgaon to Maan
- Lakshmi Chowk to Kale Patil Society
- Shanimandir Wakad to Marunji
- Jagtap Chowk to Shivdeovasti Marunji
“Shared Transport Is No Longer Optional”
HIA President Krishnan Subramanian did not mince words about the crisis. “The goal is to reduce the number of vehicles on the road and improve traffic conditions. Shared transport is vital for employees in the same geographical zone to ensure a safe and punctual commute.”
SS Salkar, deputy head of operations at HIA, said daily ridership is expected to climb significantly once the mobile app’s performance is fully optimized. The ultimate target: serving 1.25 lakh employees from 80 companies inside the IT park.
For Commuters, a ‘Welcome Change’
Ashish Navle, who commutes from distant Wagholi, described the previous reality. “Traveling to Hinjewadi can take over three hours on bad days, especially during the monsoon. This shared service will at least make the journey comfortable.”
Routematic founder and CEO Sriram Kannan added that high-capacity shared transport is the future for India’s tech hubs. “Where infrastructure is struggling to keep pace with workforce growth, MetroZip is the bridge.”
With the app now live for bookings, HIA officials say the message is simple: smarter, easier, faster – and back on the road.
