Pune Metro Line 3 Goes Partially Live on November 3 With Only 17 Stations; What are the Commute Options?
There is a lot of excitement in the air, especially in the entire western Pune, since the much-awaited Pune Metro Line 3, or Hinjawadi-Shivajinagar Metro, as it is popularly called, is going live on November 03.
Prime Minister Modi will inaugurate the service virtually, with Devendra Fadnavis, Chief Minister of Maharashtra, and other dignitaries in physical attendance at Balewadi Stadium for the event.
There has been a delay of over 18 months since the original date of completion of the project, March 2025. Multiple dates, speculations and guesswork have been the in the media for these 18 months while nothing happened on the ground actually.
However, now it is official! Pune Lok Sabha MP and Union Minister of State, Murlidhar Mohol has confirmed the launch at the hands of PM Modi on November 03.
Now that the launch is happening, it is important to understand how the partially launched service will facilitate commuters from different parts of the route.
Six stations that are not commencing operations on November 03 are: Balewadi High Street, Balewadi Phata, Baner Goan, Baner-Pashan Link Road, RBI (Bhosle Nagar) and Shivajinagar. The names can be different according to different sources but these are the station locations.
The 17 stations that will begin operations are: Maan, Maan MIDC Circle Phase II, Maan Bus Depot, Hinjawadi Phase II Circle II, Hinjawadi Phase II Circle I, Padmabhushan Chowk, Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Chowk, Hinjawadi, Hinjawadi Phase I, Wakad Chowk, Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex, Mahalunge, Mitcon Balewadi, R K Laxman Museum Balewadi, Aundh, Sakal Nagar, Savitribai Phule Pune University, Agriculture College and District Court, Pune.
It clearly shows the entire Baner Road will be left out from the service in the first phase. Anyone commuting to and from Baner to Hinjawadi side or Pune City side will have to travel to either RK Laxman Museum, Balewadi or Aundh Stations to avail the services. This is impractical.
Next is the question of connectivity to Pune Metro Line 1&2.
This is important if Pune Metro Line 3 commuters want to go beyond Shivajinagar, to locations such as Airport, Kalyani Nagar, Deccan, Karve Road, Kothrud, Vanaz or the central Peth areas such as Swargate and Mandai.
For that to happen, there are two interchanges planned. One at Shivajinagar for interchange to PCMC-Swargate Line and another at District Court for interchange to Vanaz-Ramwadi Line.
If Shivajinagar station is not going to open, then most likely the interchange to PCMC-Swargate Line won’t be possible. Also it is not clear if the FOB on the District Court interchange will be ready by the launch date. If not, then even the interchange to Vanaz-Ramwadi Line won’t be possible.
In such cases, the commuters will have to get down at Pune Metro Line 3 District Court Station and walk the remaining distance to catch trains on PCMC-Swargate Line or Vanaz-Ramwadi Line.
This walk could involve coming out of the Pune Metro Line 3 District Court Station, walking or taking an auto to Pune Metro Line 1&2 District Court Station for onward travel.
Not a smooth ride, but there is a silver lining.
As and when more stations get ready and receive CMRS clearance, they will keep coming online immediately, without having to wait for political clearance or elaborate inauguration ceremonies.
At least the ball has been set rolling and it looks like within the next 3-4 months, all 23 stations will commence operations.
Now the wait will be for the last-mile connectivity to the stations, especially in Hinjawadi.
Major townships like Blue Ridge, Godrej and VTP are located at quite a distance from the Shivaji Chowk Station and without fast and reliable public transport options from these massive townships, the metro services will remain complicated to use.
