Pune: Hinjewadi Metro Launch Date Confirmed; PM Modi To Inaugurate It Virtually On Nov 3
Pune, 27th October 2026: The long-awaited Hinjewadi-Shivajinagar Metro Line 3 is set to be launched on November 3, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi scheduled to inaugurate the 23.3km corridor virtually. Passenger services are expected to begin at 17 of the route’s 23 stations, while chief minister Devendra Fadnavis will attend the launch programme at Balewadi stadium, officials said on Monday.
Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA) commissioner Abhijit Chaudhari said the administration had been instructed to complete preparations for the event. “We have been told to keep everything ready for November 3. The Prime Minister will join online, while the chief minister and other dignitaries will be present at the venue,” he said.
The launch is expected to bring relief to thousands of commuters travelling daily between the Rajiv Gandhi Infotech Park in Hinjewadi and central Pune. The corridor is designed to offer an alternative to road travel on a stretch that experiences heavy congestion, particularly during peak office hours.
The project, being implemented under a public-private partnership (PPP) model through PMRDA and Pune IT City Metro Rail Ltd, is among the country’s first metro corridors developed under the Centre’s 2017 Metro Rail Policy using this model. The elevated route has 23 stations and an estimated project cost of around Rs 8,313 crore, including land acquisition and utility-shifting expenses.
The metro has missed several completion and launch deadlines since construction began. Initially scheduled for completion by March 2025, the project faced delays linked to permissions for barricading, shifting of utilities and pending construction work. Subsequent deadlines were extended to September 2025 and March 2026, with labour shortages and material-supply constraints adding to the delays.
Authorities had earlier planned to open the corridor in phases, with the first stretch covering 12 stations. However, the launch was repeatedly pushed back as the project awaited mandatory safety approvals from the Commissioner of Metro Railway Safety (CMRS). The election model code of conduct for the Maharashtra Legislative Council polls also added uncertainty to the inauguration schedule.
The CMRS has now cleared 17 of the corridor’s 23 stations for passenger operations. While inspections of two stations near Balewadi have been completed, RBI, Simla Chowk, Mahabaleshwar Chowk and Baner stations are awaiting approval, officials said. The remaining stations are expected to be opened after the necessary clearances and work are completed.
The proposed inauguration comes amid growing frustration among commuters, particularly IT employees who continue to depend on crowded roads to reach Hinjewadi. Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray had on Sunday urged the state government to open the stretch that has received safety clearance without waiting for a formal inauguration.
Separately, Maha-Metro is expected to hold a groundbreaking ceremony for Phase 2 projects during the programme. These are part of wider efforts to expand the region’s metro network and improve connectivity across Pune.
PMRDA has also approved a Rs 426-crore plan to improve roads, traffic management and last-mile connectivity in Hinjewadi. The measures are intended to help commuters reach metro stations more easily and improve access to the IT hub once services begin.
