Pune Metro Line 3, connecting Hinjawadi with central Pune, is expected to begin passenger operations by the end of September 2026, with the Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA) expanding the proposed first-phase opening from 12 to 17 stations. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to flag off the service virtually.
The Commissioner of Metro Rail Safety (CMRS) has already cleared 12 stations for passenger operations. Five more stations are scheduled for safety inspection, and their clearance would allow services to begin at 17 of the corridor’s 23 stations instead of the 12 initially planned.
Based on the revised rollout, the 17 stations proposed to become operational are Maan/Megapolis Circle, Embassy Quadron Business Park, Dohler, Infosys Phase II, Wipro Phase II, Pall India, Shivaji Chowk, Hinjawadi, Wakad Chowk, Balewadi Stadium, NICMAR/RK Laxman Museum, Ram Nagar, Krushi Anusandhan, Sakal Nagar/YASHADA, Savitribai Phule Pune University, Agriculture College and Civil Court/District Court.
Six stations, Laxmi Nagar, Balewadi Phata, Baner Gaon, Baner, Reserve Bank of India and Shivajinagar, will remain closed initially. Construction and finishing work at these stations and adjoining stretches will continue, with safety clearances to be obtained separately.
This means the first phase is not simply an opening of the first 17 stations in geographical sequence. Passenger services are planned across a larger portion of the corridor, with trains passing through the six stations that are not being opened initially.
The 23.203-km elevated corridor links the Rajiv Gandhi IT Park at Hinjewadi with Shivajinagar and Civil Court in central Pune, passing through Wakad, Balewadi and Baner. It is being developed to provide a mass-transit alternative on the heavily congested Hinjewadi-Baner-Shivajinagar route and reduce travel time, fuel consumption and traffic-related air and noise pollution.
The project was originally scheduled for completion by March 25, 2025, based on a 40-month construction period. Subsequent targets for starting passenger operations moved from June-end to early September and now to September-end. PMRDA had granted a formal Extension of Time up to March 31, 2026.
Physical progress on the project has reached 94.58%, while financial progress stands at 97.40%. Land acquisition for the Right of Way and station locations is nearly 100% complete.
Pune Metro Line 3 is being implemented under the Centre’s New Metro Rail Policy, 2017, through a Public-Private Partnership under the Design, Build, Finance, Operate and Transfer model. The concession period is 35 years.
PMRDA awarded the project to a joint venture of TRIL Urban Transport Pvt Ltd of the Tata Group and Siemens Project Ventures GmbH. The consortium formed Pune IT City Metro Rail Limited (PITCMRL) as the special purpose vehicle for implementing the project.
The project was declared a vital urban transport project on July 18, 2018, and its foundation stone was laid by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on December 8, 2018. The concession agreement was signed on September 21, 2019, while November 25, 2021, was fixed as the appointed date.
The total capital cost of the project is ₹8,313 crore, including land acquisition, utility shifting and allied components. The private concessionaire’s equity contribution is ₹1,315.39 crore, while ₹4,789 crore has been raised through term loans from the State Bank of India and other major financial institutions.
Construction-phase Viability Gap Funding totals ₹1,315.39 crore. The Central Government’s share is ₹1,224.80 crore, while the State Government’s share is ₹90.58 crore. The first Central tranche of ₹611 crore was released during October-November 2024, and ₹1,151 crore had been disbursed up to the 12th instalment. Of the State share, ₹85.58 crore has been disbursed to the concessionaire.
The Maharashtra government is also providing ₹1,126 crore in VGF support for operations and maintenance, including ₹1,036 crore after commissioning and ₹90 crore during construction. A tripartite VGF agreement was signed on May 27, 2022, after approval by the Central Empowered Committee on November 8, 2021.
To fund its VGF share, the State allotted 21.91 hectares of government land to PMRDA across three parcels — 10.6 hectares at Government Polytechnic, 7.14 hectares belonging to the Dairy Development Board and 4.17 hectares belonging to Pune Rural Police and the Wireless Department.
The transfer of the Government Polytechnic land has been stayed by the High Court. PMRDA has subsequently submitted proposals for alternative land to the State Government.
Apart from the main project funding, PMRDA has spent around ₹1,200 crore on land acquisition, utility shifting and construction of the double-decker flyover. The project also has a 13.2-hectare car depot at Maan in Mulshi and a 15.6-hectare casting yard at Survey No. 24 in Tathwade, which was handed over in November 2020.
The double-decker flyover at University Junction on Ganeshkhind Road is among the major associated infrastructure works. Built at a cost of ₹277 crore, apart from price escalation, it replaced the old one-way flyovers demolished in August 2020. Ganeshkhind Road has also been widened to up to 45 metres.
The Aundh-to-Shivajinagar ramp opened on August 20, 2025, followed by the Baner ramps on March 8, 2026. Work on the Pashan ramp is continuing. Utility shifting along the corridor, including relocation of 220 kV and 132 kV high-voltage power lines, is around 95% complete.
PMRDA is separately working on a 19.2-km last-mile road network around eight Metro stations in the Hinjewadi IT Park area. An RFP has been issued for preparing a Detailed Project Report covering roads within a 500-metre radius of the stations and stretches extending up to 1.5 km.
The largest proposed road network is around Shivaji Chowk station, covering 4.85 km, followed by 4.06 km around Megapolis Circle and 3.67 km around Quadron Circle. The plan also covers 1.85 km around Hinjawadi station, 1.59 km around Pall India, 1.53 km around Dohler, 1.1 km around Wipro Technologies and 0.5 km around Infosys Phase II.
These roads are proposed to have wider pedestrian walkways, dedicated cycle tracks, covered bus shelters, street vending and green zones, benches, waste segregation bins, directional signs, public plazas and street lighting. The objective is to improve access between Metro stations and the surrounding IT parks and residential areas.
Passenger facilities planned for Line 3 include the National Common Mobility Card through the One Pune Card, WhatsApp QR ticketing, UPI payments, physical ticket counters and automatic ticket vending machines.
The air-conditioned trains will have designated sections for women. Stations are being equipped with lifts, escalators, wheelchair ramps, tactile paths for visually impaired passengers, accessible restrooms and step-free boarding. Live train information will be displayed in Marathi, Hindi and English.
The corridor is also planned to integrate with PMPML bus services, auto-rickshaw pickup areas, cab and Rapido drop-off points and cycle parking. Some IT companies have independently constructed footbridges connecting their offices directly with Metro stations.
Emergency help points, female security personnel, first-aid counters and occupational health centres are also among the passenger facilities planned along the corridor.
The immediate focus is now on CMRS inspection and clearance of the additional five stations needed for the expanded first-phase rollout. If the approvals come through as planned, 17 stations can open for passengers by the end of September, while work and safety clearances continue at the remaining six stations.
