Pune Metro May Cut Train Intervals To Four Minutes As Passenger Footfall Rises
Pune, 4th October 2026: The Pune Metro administration is considering increasing train frequency to address growing passenger numbers and overcrowding during peak hours. Trains currently operate at intervals of around five minutes, with the interval likely to be reduced to four minutes whenever required.
The move comes amid a steady increase in Metro ridership in the city. Daily passenger numbers rose to around 3.1 lakh in September. While the increase was partly attributed to the additional travel demand during Ganeshotsav, Metro officials acknowledged that passenger traffic has been rising more broadly.
The administration is also preparing for another increase in ridership following the opening of the Shivajinagar-Hinjewadi Metro corridor, expected in the coming days. Officials estimate that the new route could add nearly 50,000 passengers to the system over the next few months.
Maha Metro Managing Director Shravan Hardikar said efforts were underway to improve passenger convenience as ridership continues to grow.
“We are also procuring more trains as footfalls are likely to go up in the days to come. New routes are coming up and the network is expanding to cover more areas,” Hardikar said.
The possibility of introducing longer trains is also being raised by regular commuters. Passengers have urged Maha Metro to consider six-coach trains on both existing operational corridors — Vanaz-Ramwadi and Swargate-PCMC — particularly during busy hours.
Metro officials said a detailed proposal for introducing six-coach trains has already been prepared and will be submitted to the Central government for approval.
For the immediate future, however, Maha Metro is focusing on increasing the number of trains and reducing the gap between services. Officials said train intervals could be brought down from five minutes to four minutes and potentially further to three minutes, depending on passenger demand.
The introduction of six-coach trains is expected to be taken up at a later stage after the necessary approvals.
