City’s Covid situation likely to affect Metro completion deadlines: Maha-Metro GM

PUNE Despite the severity of the second wave of Covid-19 in Pune, the Maharashtra Metro railway corporation (Maha-Metro), has been able to keep 3,200 labourers working in the city

PUNE Despite the severity of the second wave of Covid-19 in Pune, the Maharashtra Metro railway corporation (Maha-Metro), has been able to keep 3,200 labourers working in the city. This is 40 per cent of its workforce in Pune.

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Now there is uncertainty about meeting the deadlines on the priority Metro routes - PCMC to Phugewadi and Vanaz to Deccan Gymkhana.

Hemant Sonawane, general manager, Maha-Metro, said, “Work is going on at different stages. We just have crossed beneath the Mula river. On the Vanaz to Ramwadi stretch, the Nal stop multi-storey flyover work is underway, while on the PCMC to Swargate stretch, Phugewadi station has been completed 90 per cent. But, due to Covid-19, we may miss the deadline. There will be delays due to slow work as we don’t know what the situation will be ahead.”

In June 2020, of the metro’s 6,500 labourers, only 800 were on duty after the government made arrangements for trains. “This year, there are no restrictions on traveling and trains are also available,” said Sonawane.

“We haven’t been affected badly this time. We vaccinated labourers and provided medical facilities, which helped us to keep a maximum number behind,” he said.