Pune: Metro To Operate For 41 Hours Continuously During Ganesh Visarjan

Pune, 25th September 2026: Pune Metro will operate continuously for 41 hours during the Ganesh visarjan procession on Friday, with services starting at 6am on September 25 and continuing until 11pm on September 26. The extended service has been planned as several major roads in central Pune will remain closed for the procession, providing devotees and commuters with an alternative public transport option.

The Metro administration has also changed the entry and exit arrangements at six key stations to manage the expected rush. At Pimpri Chinchwad station, entry will be through Finolex Chowk Gate 1 and 4, while exits will be through PCMC Bhavan Gates 2 and 3. At Deccan Gymkhana, entry will be from the Vanaz-side Gate 1 and exit from the Ramwadi-side Gates 2 and 3. At Chhatrapati Sambhaji Udyan, entry will be through Vanaz-side Gates 1, 3 and 4, while exit will be through Ramwadi-side Gate 2. At Pune Municipal Corporation station, entry will be through Vanaz-side Gate 1 and exit through Ramwadi-side Gate 3. At SNDT, entry will be through Vanaz-side Gates 1 and 4, while exit will be through Ramwadi-side Gate 2. At Garware College, entry will be through Vanaz-side Gates 1 and 4 and exit through Ramwadi-side Gate 3.

The 12-day Ganesh festival and heavy crowds in central Pune have led to a significant rise in Metro ridership this year. So far, the Metro has carried 38,22,094 passengers during the festival period. On the visarjan day last year, around 5.90 lakh passengers travelled by Metro, and officials expect the number to rise further this year.

To manage the expected surge, the Metro administration has not only extended operating hours but also introduced separate entry and exit gates at the six stations. Passengers will be allowed to enter from the side facing the Vanaz corridor and will have to exit from the side facing the Ramwadi corridor.

The revised arrangement will remain in force only on September 25 and will return to normal from September 26. At Mahatma Phule Mandai station, barricading has been in place since the beginning of the Ganesh festival to regulate crowds. The entry and exit arrangement at the station will continue until the barricading is removed.

The Metro administration has appealed to passengers to take note of the temporary changes and cooperate with the arrangements.