Punekars Wait Continues! Hinjewadi-Shivajinagar Metro Misses June Launch, July Deadline Now in Focus
Punekars Wait Continues! Hinjewadi-Shivajinagar Metro Misses June Launch, July Deadline Now in Focus
The much-awaited Hinjewadi to Shivajinagar Metro line in Pune has missed another deadline, with authorities now targeting July 2026 for the launch of the first phase of services.
Lakhs of Punekars and IT employees waiting for the Hinjewadi-Shivajinagar Metro will have to wait a little longer, as the proposed June 15 launch is now unlikely. Authorities are now aiming to begin the first phase of metro services in July.
The Hinjewadi to Shivajinagar corridor is Pune’s third metro line and is being developed under a public-private partnership between the Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA) and Pune IT City Metro Rail Limited.
The metro route is spread across 23 kilometres and includes a total of 23 stations, connecting Pune’s major IT hub in Hinjewadi with the city centre at Shivajinagar. The project is expected to significantly reduce daily traffic congestion and improve travel for thousands of office-goers commuting from the western suburbs.
According to PMRDA sources, the work on the metro line is now more than 95 per cent complete. Construction and finishing work on stations between Hinjewadi and Baner is progressing rapidly. Authorities have already written to the Commissioner of Metro Rail Safety for inspection of the line.
Officials said the inspection is expected by the end of May or early June. After the inspection process is completed, approvals and remaining technical procedures are likely to take around a month. Following this process, passenger services are expected to begin in July, though an exact launch date has not yet been finalised.
The project has already witnessed multiple delays. The metro service was originally expected to begin in March 2025, but several revised timelines announced later were also missed. Dates including September 2025, December 2025, March 2026, May 2026 and June 15, 2026 were discussed earlier for the start of operations.
As per the latest plan, the first phase of the metro service is expected to begin with 12 stations between Maan and Ramnagar (Baner). The second phase, which includes 11 stations from High Street (Baner) to Shivajinagar, is currently targeted for October.
Earlier this year, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had stated during a Pune event that metro operations would begin in phases. However, both previously announced launch windows were missed due to pending work and approval procedures.
Once operational, the metro line is expected to provide major relief to commuters travelling through the heavily congested Hinjewadi, Wakad, Baner and Shivajinagar stretches.
Disclaimer: Timelines mentioned are based on current official updates and may change depending on inspection approvals and project completion status.
