Punekars Frustrated As Shivajinagar-Hinjawadi Metro Faces Yet Another Delay: 'How Many Times Will The Deadline Be Extended?'

The deadline for completing the Shivajinagar-Hinjawadi Metro project, also known as the Puneri Metro, has been extended from September to December 2025, senior officials from the Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA) told The Free Press Journal. As a result, metro operations are now unlikely to begin before 2026. This delay has left Punekars frustrated, as they continue to battle heavy traffic day in and day out.

Vishal Kantela, a regular commuter, said, "In the monsoon season, there are traffic jams. We have to spend hours in traffic as the roads are waterlogged. The metro could save so much time if it were completed on time."

Rutuja Patil, an IT professional working in Hinjawadi, added, "The deadline has been extended several times now. How many more times will they extend the deadline while we continue to suffer from traffic congestion, dust, waterlogging, etc.?"

Meenal Joshi, another commuter, expressed, "We hope that the PMRDA will not extend the deadline again and complete the project on time. It will be comfortable for people heading towards Hinjawadi, especially IT employees, and save our valuable time."

Meanwhile, Rinaj Pathan, Chief Engineer, PMRDA, told this newspaper that 87 per cent of the work is currently completed. "Key locations like the University Chowk flyover are nearing final stages. The remaining work is internal, like the entry and exit points of the station. We are trying to get rid of all issues like drainage blockages and potholes on the roads. To clean the drainage, MIDC officials have been instructed, and to cover up the potholes, responsibility has been given to Tata. All the debris has been removed from the roads."

"Due to the heavy rain, the speed of cabling work at the station has been affected, but the routes will be operational before the set deadline. The trial of these metro stations will start from December or January," he added.

The metro corridor is being developed under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model by the PMRDA and the Tata Group-led concessionaire, Pune IT City Metro Rail Ltd. The line spans 23.3 km and includes 23 stations, aiming to significantly reduce travel time and traffic congestion between Hinjawadi and Shivajinagar.

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