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Ajit Pawar directs MSRTC & Maha-Metro to step up on Shivajinagar Multimodal Hub project
Shirole, Pune Metro managing director Shravan Hardikar, and MSRTC officials were present at the meeting
Deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar has instructed the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) and Maharashtra Metro Rail Corporation Limited (Maha-Metro) to step up on the multimodal hub project at the Shivajinagar state transport (ST) bus depot which has been stalled for more than five years now. The multimodal hub will be developed under the build-operate-transfer (BOT) model. The Pune Metro has already completed the construction of a metro station at the site, and is now awaiting the MSRTC’s approval to use the remaining land for the multimodal hub.
On Monday, member of legislative assembly (MLA) from the Shivajinagar constituency, Siddharth Shirole, met deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar and requested that the multimodal hub project be completed at the earliest. Shirole, Pune Metro managing director Shravan Hardikar, and MSRTC officials were present at the meeting.
Shirole said, “The proposal to sign the memorandum of understanding (MoU) is in the final stage to develop a multimodal hub under the BOT model. It will be signed soon now that the minister has taken charge of the MSRTC.”
Hardikar said, “This is very crucial land, and we (MSRTC and Maha-Metro) have decided to develop it under the BOT model. The proposal is in its final stage. The project will be highly beneficial for commuters, as it will integrate the Pune metro station, Pune metro line 3, ST depot and railway station. Therefore, the integration of all these services is essential. Additionally, the multimodal hub will also provide space for commercial purposes.”
The Shivajinagar ST bus depot was temporarily moved to Wakdewadi for the construction of Maha-Metro’s Shivajinagar underground station in 2019. An agreement was made between the Maha-Metro and MSRTC to build a metro station, an ST bus depot and a multimodal hub at the site for passenger services. While the MSRTC and Maha-Metro were working on a comprehensive plan for the project, disagreements over the plan caused delays. So once the multimodal hub is completed, the ST bus depot will be moved back to its original location, with modern facilities provided for passengers.
