Pune: Maharashtra’s First e-RTS Pilot Set to Roll Out Soon in Pimpri Chinchwad, Project to Offer Metro-Style Travel on Roads

Pimpri Chinchwad, 31st July 2026: Pimpri Chinchwad is set to pilot Maharashtra’s first Electric Rapid Transit System (e-RTS), with the civic body’s Standing Committee approving the preparation of a Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the proposed 17-km corridor. The project aims to provide a metro-like commuting experience using double-articulated electric vehicles operating on dedicated roads.

The DPR will be prepared by Maha Metro and is expected to be completed within three months. The decision follows directions issued by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis during a recent review meeting on urban mobility projects for Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad, where officials were asked to expedite administrative and technical approvals for the pilot.

The proposed e-RTS corridor will connect Godown Chowk in Bhosari to Wakad via Kudalwadi Chowk, Auto Cluster, Kalewadi Phata and Jagtap Dairy Chowk. The route is expected to strengthen public transport connectivity in Bhosari, Kudalwadi, Kalewadi, Wakad, Hinjawadi, Ravet and Punawale.

According to PCMC Joint City Engineer Bapusaheb Gaikwad, the system will use fully electric, air-conditioned double-articulated vehicles running on rubber tyres, offering metro-like capacity without requiring rail infrastructure. The buses will be charged overnight at depots, with additional charging at designated stations during operations.

Following completion of the DPR, the project will require approvals from the state and Union governments before tenders are invited. Trial operations are expected to continue for around 18 months.

If the pilot proves successful, the e-RTS network is proposed to be expanded across the city’s High Capacity Mass Transit Route (HCMTR) and existing Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) corridors, with integration planned with Metro and other public transport systems.