CMRS completes preliminary inspection of District Court-Swargate metro stretch, raises tech queries
The stretch of the Pune Metro from District Court to Swargate includes three stations: Budhwar Peth, Mandai and Swargate and covers 3.64 km
The commissioner of metro railway safety (CMRS) has completed preliminary inspection of the underground metro stretch from District Court to Swargate and suggested some technical compliance. The CMRS team landed in Pune on Friday and conducted a three-day preliminary inspection of the said stretch in terms of safety and other aspects.
Shravan Hardikar, managing director, Maharashtra Metro Rail Corporation Limited (Maha-Metro), said, “The CMRS team visited the District Court to Swargate metro stretch. The team has raised queries and we have started work on technical compliance. The team will visit again for functional inspection after technical compliance. We are trying our best to comply with all the technical queries as soon as possible. The team will be visiting again for final inspection.”
The stretch of the Pune Metro from District Court to Swargate includes three stations: Budhwar Peth, Mandai and Swargate and covers 3.64 km. A metro test was conducted on this route in February. The route passes beneath the Mutha riverbed between District Court and Budhwar Peth, making it the first time in the city’s history that a metro route is running beneath a riverbed. The Maha-Metro has completed work on this route and the CMRS inspection began on Friday, August 30.
Inauguration of District Court-Swargate metro route may be delayed
The Pune Metro was initially confident that passenger services on the underground stretch from District Court to Swargate would begin during the auspicious Ganesh festival. However, after the CMRS visit and subsequent technical queries raised, the inauguration is likely to be delayed.
During union minister of state Murlidhar Mohol’s visit, Pune Metro officials were unable to assure that operations would start during the Ganesh festival. Consequently, Mohol announced that the stretch would be operational “soon” without committing to any specific date.
Punekars are eagerly waiting for passenger services to begin on the said stretch that will directly connect Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC), Kharadi and Kothrud with Swargate. They are particularly excited about being able to visit prominent Ganesh mandals and taking darshan of Lord Ganesh without any hassles as most of the popular Ganesh mandals are located around Mandai and Budhwar Peth and Swargate station.