Pune Metro Line 3 will ease Hinjewadi traffic, says Chief Minister Fadnavis

After the inauguration of Pune Metro Line 3, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said the new metro linking Hinjewadi and Shivajinagar would reduce the daily burden on thousands of IT professionals and other road users. He called the corridor a major addition to the city's transport infrastructure, especially for those travelling to and from the IT hub.

Speaking to reporters, Fadnavis said the 23-km route connects Maan with the District Court station. He said the need for better connectivity in west Pune had been felt for a long time and this route fulfils it. People passing through Hinjewadi often face heavy traffic, which causes considerable delays. According to Fadnavis, the new service will shorten travel time and make daily commuting easier.

The corridor has 23 stations. It is among the first metro projects approved on the DBFOT (Design, Build, Finance, Operate and Transfer) model under the Centre's 2017 public-private partnership policy. The project was awarded to a joint venture of Tata Realty and Siemens.

Fadnavis acknowledged that the project faced many difficulties during implementation, but said the obstacles were overcome, which is why the line could be opened. He expressed confidence that the route would give Pune's people tangible benefits.

A major feature of the new corridor is that women have been given an important role in its operations. Fadnavis said about 100 women have been trained as train operators, and women make up about half of the total workforce. He also said women engineers held important responsibilities during construction. In his words, the Pink Line is an example of efforts to increase women's participation in technical and operational roles instead of confining them to administrative work.

The Chief Minister also spoke of the government's large infrastructure plans for the Pune Metropolitan Region (PMR). These include the outer and inner ring roads, the High Capacity Mass Transit Route (HCMTR) and proposed tunnels. All of these are part of a larger regional development plan covering Pune, Pimpri-Chinchwad and surrounding areas.

Fadnavis said the government is working towards coordinated development across the metropolitan region. He thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for help with Pune's infrastructure projects and said Rs 5,000 crore would be made available through the Centre for the PMR growth centre. According to the Chief Minister, the amount will help carry the next phase of development work across the region.