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Finding no place in this year’s budget, Pune metro plans to submit extension proposal soon
Pune metro failed to bag any funding from the central government in this year’s budget as it did not submit the phase II proposal to the Centre
Pune metro failed to bag any funding from the central government in this year’s budget as it did not submit the phase II proposal to the Centre. However, Nagpur metro which had submitted its phase II proposal got a mention in this year’s central budget.
Finance minister Nirmala Sitaraman announced on Monday that Nagpur metro rail project phase II and Nashik metro will get funding of ₹5,976 crore and ₹2,092 crore respectively in the annual budget 2021-22. However, no announcement was made for the Pune metro.
Maharashtra Metro Rail Corporation Limited (Maha-Metro) managing director Brijesh Dixit, said, “The phase I proposal was submitted a year ago to the central government. After getting instructions from the local body and the state government, we will submit the phase II proposal for Pune metro this year, which would get reflected in the next year’s annual budget.”
Dixit said, “It is a proud moment for us as Maha-Metro had proposed the Neo Metro in Nashik. Neo metro concept was introduced by Maha-Metro and it got approval at national level as a new mode of travel.”
Dixit said, “Neo metro is a good project for tier 2 and tier 3 cities which have less population and where metro is not feasible. Now, the government is planning to replicate neo-metro model at the national level.”
One of the officials from Maha-Metro said on condition of anonymity that Nagpur metro had started its commercial operations and hence, it got earlier permission for phase II. Pune metro is executing its phase first which is in progress. The government has approved one more metro line on PPP basis which is getting executed by PMRDA in between Hinjewadi and Shivajinagar. Various other routes are proposed in Pune and they all can go to the central government for phase II very soon.
Maharashtra finance minister Ajit Pawar criticised the Union budget and said, “Budgetary provisions were given to Nagpur and Nashik cities considering the elections, but Pune- Nashik railway got no mention.”
Commercial operations likely to start by December 2021
Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) state president Chandrakant Patil and mayor Murlidhar Mohol held a meeting with Maha-Metro officials on Monday. Patil announced that the metro is likely to start its commercial operations in Pune by December this year. The trial run on Vanaz to Garware College stretch will start by March.
