The Pune Metro will soon start functioning effectively as commuters are getting direct connectivity from Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) to Shivajinagar, Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), Civil Court, Deccan and Vanaz.
Pune Metro managing director (MD) Brijesh Dixit said, “We are launching the operations of the first line between PCMC and Civil court and at the same time, starting operations between Vanaz and Civil court. As both the elevated and underground metro lines are coming to Civil court, citizens will get direct connectivity from Vanaz to PCMC.”
While the Pune Metro was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in March this year, its existing operations cover a very limited area due to which, citizens are using the metro to a limited extent. It is expected that once metro operations start between PCMC and Vanaz, commuters travelling from PMC to PCMC or PCMC to Deccan, mostly college students, will shift to the metro rather than any other mode of transport.
“Commuters can travel on a single ticket on this route from PCMC to Vanaz. They will just need to change the train at Civil court. The PCMC line is coming to the underground Civil court station. Commuters will need to go to an elevated station to head towards PMC, Deccan and Vanaz,” Dixit said.
{{/usCountry}}“Commuters can travel on a single ticket on this route from PCMC to Vanaz. They will just need to change the train at Civil court. The PCMC line is coming to the underground Civil court station. Commuters will need to go to an elevated station to head towards PMC, Deccan and Vanaz,” Dixit said.
{{/usCountry}}“As the work of the Khadki and Range hill stations is not yet complete, the metro will run through these stations without stopping. Instead of waiting for these works to be completed, the metro is giving preference to providing citizens good connectivity. As the Pune metro acquired the defence land very late, the work of the Khadki and Range hill stations is behind schedule.”
Maha-Metro project director Atul Gadgil said, “The metro has completed 85% of the work of the underground stations namely, Shivajinagar and Ranje hills. Till November, the metro will finish the works and apply for a safety audit with the central authority. Within a few days of the central team visiting the metro stations and giving permission, the metro will be in a position to start operations. The citizens will experience the underground metro within the next few days.”
Pune Metro public relations officer Hemant Sonawane said, “The Pune metro has decided to keep the ticket fare between Rs10 and Rs50. Yet, we have not finalised the ticket rate but the formula is ready. Definitely, it will not be more than Rs50. We will publish metro ticket details while starting the operations. The formula is there.”
Infra boost
Pune Metro plans to start operations between PCMC and Civil court, and Civil court and Vanaz
Both the underground and elevated metro lines cross each other at the Civil court junction
Commuters would need to switch trains at the Civil court junction but would not need to buy a new ticket
Ticket fares will range from Rs10 to Rs50.
Better connectivity
Citizens will get connectivity for the stations including PCMC, Sant Tukaram nagar, Bhosari, Kasarwadi, Phugewadi, Dapodi, Bopodi, Shivajinagar (underground) and Civil court.
Underground
Metro stations on the second line include Civil court to PMC, Chhatrapati Sambhaji garden (Deccan), Garware college, Nal stop, Ideal colony, Anand nagar and Vanaz