Underground or bust, is DPR conclusion for Pune’s Katraj-Swargate metro route

The elevated metro stretch passes through areas adjacent to Pune-Satara road and is 5.5-km long. This seems difficult due to multiple obstructions on route, including a number of flyovers, says DRP

Days after it was prepared, the detailed project report (DPR) of the Swargate-Katraj metro stretch has been presented to Mayor Murlidhar Mohol on Wednesday, when he indicated the civic body’s willingness to accept the proposal for underground stretch.

The DPR mentions that the elevated metro stretch is not at all feasible and so an underground stretch is the only option, even as the cost of the project increases. (HT PHOTO)

The DPR mentions that the elevated metro stretch is not at all feasible and so an underground stretch is the only option, even as the cost of the project increases.

After the meeting, Mohol said the DPR for Swargate-Katraj route will soon be presented to the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) general body, after which work will commence.

According to the DPR, the elevated metro stretch passes through the areas adjacent to Pune-Satara road and is 5.5-km long. This seems difficult due to multiple obstructions on this route, including a number of flyovers.

The route is estimated to have a daily ridership of 95,000 riders in 2027 which will rise to 1,97,000 by 2057.

Maha-Metro estimates a total cost of Rs 27.61 crore for rehabilitation and resettlement while Rs 111.6 crore for land acquisition for the project.

Hindustan Times had on December 6 reported the details of the DPR which mentions that the proposed cost of per kilometre underground metro rail will be Rs 783.85 crore. The option of an underground stretch has been highly recommended in the DPR over the elevated one even though the proposed cost of the latter is cheaper.

“The elevated stretch is not at all feasible and so we will go for what the Mahametro has suggested, the underground metro stretch. The PMC’s contribution in the case of underground will be about 5.19 per cent which is the same as it is in the ongoing projects. Although the overall cost of the underground metro is high, comparatively if we see then considering the cost of rehabilitation and the number of constructions in case of an elevated metro, then the underground stretch is the best option,” said Mohol

Mohol also expressed the belief that the change in government at the state would not affect Pune’s metro wok as no government would come in the way of development work.

Brijesh Dixit, managing director of Maha-Metro said, “We will wait for the formal approval from the PMC and once that is done, we will then go to the state government and the central government for the funding.” Maha-Metro is already executing Swargate-Katraj metro line and once the latest proposal is approved, the project can be extended up to Katraj.

Its all about the numbers

As per DPR, estimated cost for the underground metro stretch between Swargate and Katraj: Rs 4283.72 crore

Estimated length of the elevated metro stretch between Swargate and Katraj is 9 kilometres and cost estimation is not mentioned in the DPR

There will be four stations on the stretch

**Swargate

**Pushmangal chowk

**Shankar Maharaj mutt

**Rajiv Gandhi Zoological Park

Per kilometre estimated cost is Rs 783.85 crore for the 5.464 kilometres