Pune–Lonavala Rail Upgrade Cleared: ₹5,100 Crore Plan Gets Cabinet Nod, Metro Expansion Also Approved
Pune–Lonavala Rail Upgrade Cleared: ₹5,100 Crore Plan Gets Cabinet Nod, Metro Expansion Also Approved
The Maharashtra Cabinet has approved a major infrastructure push for Pune, sanctioning a ₹5,100 crore plan to lay a third and fourth track on the Pune–Lonavala railway route and clearing fresh additions to the city’s Metro network.
The 63.87 km rail project, to be executed by the Mumbai Railway Vikas Corporation (MRVC), will cover 17 stations and aims to ease congestion on one of the busiest suburban corridors. The Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA) will oversee implementation at the regional level.
The Pune–Lonavala line, first built in 1927 and expanded to a double track in 1960, has been stretched to 119% of its current capacity. Estimates suggest demand could touch 285% in the next three decades. Under the new plan, long-distance and freight trains will be shifted to the additional tracks, while existing ones will be reserved for suburban services — a move expected to boost efficiency and punctuality.
Funding will be shared by multiple bodies: the state government (30%/₹765 crore), PMC (20%/₹510 crore), PCMC (20%/₹510 crore), and PMRDA (30%/₹765 crore). MSRDC has been named Special Planning Authority for 77 villages in Maval taluka along the Mumbai–Pune Expressway and will also help mobilize funds. The project has been declared both an “Urgent Public Project” and an “Ambient Urban Transport Project.”
A surcharge on train tickets, similar to Mumbai’s Urban Transport Project model, will be levied to feed into the Urban Transport Fund, with the state planning to seek central aid as required.
Alongside the rail decision, the Cabinet approved key changes to the Pune Metro. Two new stations — Balajinagar and Bibvewadi — will be added to the Swargate–Katraj corridor, while the proposed Katraj station will be shifted 421 meters to link better with a PMPML bus depot. These modifications will cost ₹683.11 crore, with Mahametro and PMC sharing expenses and the rest raised through loans.
Pune Metro Phase-1 currently includes:
- Line-1: Pimpri-Chinchwad–Swargate (17.53 km, 14 stations)
- Line-2: Vanaz–Ramwadi (15.75 km, 16 stations)
In addition, Line-3 — a 23.3 km elevated corridor between Hinjawadi and Shivajinagar — is being built via a public-private partnership led by PMRDA.
