E-Paper
Pune Metro line 3 gets enthusiastic response on first day
The new corridor, expected to benefit thousands of daily commuters, connects Hinjewadi’s Rajiv Gandhi Infotech Park with Shivajinagar
Prefer HTon Google
Women commuters, IT professionals, children and even foreign nationals were among the passengers who took their first ride on Pune Metro line 3 on Wednesday; as passenger services began on the 23.2 km Hinjewadi-Shivajinagar corridor. First-day operations saw enthusiastic participation from commuters, with the metro operator welcoming passengers with flowers at the stations.
Passenger services commenced simultaneously from the Maan and District Court stations at 6 am. Senior officials of Pune IT City Metro Rail Limited (PITCMRL), including CEO Anilkumar Saini and CFO Mitul Jhaveri, were present at the stations to welcome the first commuters. Passengers were greeted with flowers, while flower petals were showered on the trains as they arrived at the stations.
The new corridor, expected to benefit thousands of daily commuters, connects Hinjewadi’s Rajiv Gandhi Infotech Park with Shivajinagar. It is expected to provide an alternative to road transport, particularly for IT professionals travelling between the city and the IT hub.
According to PITCMRL officials, both the District Court and Maan stations witnessed encouraging passenger footfalls on the first day of operations. While ridership was relatively low during the morning hours, the number of commuters gradually increased as the day progressed.
Sushma Sorte, an IT professional who travelled on the metro on its first day, said that the service will help reduce commuting time. “The Metro is helping reduce travel time and making daily commuting more convenient. I would certainly prefer travelling by Metro. What makes this service particularly special is that it is operated entirely by women. I truly appreciate this initiative and came here especially today to experience the ride,” she said.
For Sandeep Pathke, a resident of Pashan, the first journey was memorable for another reason. He was the first passenger to purchase a ticket at the District Court station’s ticket counter. “My first journey on Pune Metro line 3 was a wonderful experience. Being the first passenger to purchase a ticket at the District Court station made it even more special. The metro was clean and the atmosphere was pleasant. Everyone’s first metro ride is special, but this journey will remain unforgettable for me,” he said.
Speaking on the commencement of services, Saini, said that the enthusiasm shown by commuters on the first day is encouraging. He said that the company aimed to provide a safe, reliable and comfortable public transport service and expected the corridor to make daily travel easier, particularly for professionals commuting to and from Hinjewadi.
The corridor, also known as Puneri Metro’s Pink Line, was virtually inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on November 3 at the Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex in Mahalunge. The inauguration was attended by chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, deputy chief ministers Eknath Shinde and Sunetra Ajit Pawar, and Union minister of state for civil aviation and cooperation Murlidhar Mohol. The 23.2 km elevated corridor connects Maan in Hinjewadi with Shivajinagar through 23 stations. It is India’s first metro project implemented under the public-private partnership (PPP) model in accordance with the National Metro Rail Policy, 2017. The project has been developed under the design, build, finance, operate and transfer (DBFOT) framework.
