Pune: Traffic Hurdles and Pending Clearances Push Hinjawadi-Shivajinagar Metro Completion to Late 2025
Hinjawadi, 27th December 2024: Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar are set to review the revised timeline for the completion of the third Metro line between Hinjawadi and Shivajinagar. The concessionaire for the Pune Metro project has requested an extension of the deadline to September 2025, pushing it beyond the original target of March 2025, according to officials from the Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA).
PMRDA officials revealed that a crucial segment of the project—an integrated flyover stretching from University Chowk to the E-Square junction—has also been delayed. Initially slated for completion by December this year, the flyover’s deadline has been extended to March 2025.
“The integrated flyover, which spans 1.7 kilometers, is a vital part of the Metro corridor. Its construction is 65% complete, but critical components like ramp and deck slab work remain unfinished. Additionally, some permissions are still pending, which could delay full completion until April 2025,” said a PMRDA official. “We cannot commence Metro operations until this segment is fully functional.”
The 23-kilometer Hinjawadi-Shivajinagar Metro corridor has achieved 74% completion overall, but officials acknowledged that traffic and pending approvals have slowed progress.
Fadnavis, as chairman of PMRDA, and Pawar will assess the new deadlines. Officials mentioned that Pawar had earlier instructed project teams to accelerate work and secure permissions more quickly. “Deputy CM Pawar emphasized that construction activities should continue round-the-clock to meet deadlines, especially as the Assembly elections approach,” an official noted.
Despite deploying additional manpower, challenges like traffic congestion and VIP movement along the route have hindered continuous work, particularly near the flyover. “This is a key arterial road, and heavy traffic, coupled with election-related restrictions, disrupted our schedule,” a PMRDA representative said. Proposed traffic diversions provided only limited relief.
Metro stations along the Maan to Balewadi High Street stretch are expected to be operational by April 2025. However, completing stations along the University Chowk segment remains a challenge. Officials cited the need for road widening and the removal of obstacles, such as electricity poles, as ongoing hurdles.
The upcoming review meeting will determine revised timelines and strategies to address these delays while ensuring smoother execution of the project.
