Pune Metro Line 3 to Be Operated by 100 Women Loco Pilots in First-of-its-Kind Move
Pune Metro Line 3 to Be Operated by 100 Women Loco Pilots in First-of-its-Kind Move
Pune Metro’s upcoming Line 3 is set to make history with 100 women recruited and trained as loco pilots, making it the first Indian metro route to be operated entirely by women. The initiative, described by French mobility firm Keolis as unprecedented in India, aims to boost gender representation in the public transport sector.
The project comes under a 10-year operations and maintenance contract signed between Keolis and Pune IT City Metro Rail Limited (PITCMRL), a Tata-Siemens joint venture that holds the concession for Line 3. The 23-km corridor will run from Shivajinagar to Hinjewadi, connecting Pune’s central business district with its IT hub.
Keolis, which also operates Hyderabad Metro since 2017, will manage 22 Alstom-built trains, 23 stations, and the ticketing system. “This decision is not just about staffing but about inspiring the next generation of women to pursue opportunities once considered out of reach,” said Anil Kumar Saini, CEO of PITCMRL.
Recruitment and training of the women loco pilots will begin soon, with measures in place to ensure their safety, commuting convenience, and workplace support. Nearly 1,000 jobs are expected to be created for the operation and upkeep of the line.
Trial runs are already underway, and passenger services are expected to begin by March 2026. Once operational, Line 3 will ease daily travel for over 1.5 lakh IT professionals commuting to Hinjewadi and is expected to reduce congestion while spurring growth along the route.
Unlike Pune Metro’s existing Lines 1 and 2, which are run by Maha Metro, Line 3 is the city’s first public-private partnership project, supervised by the Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA). A Line 4 extension from Khadakwasla to Kharadi via Hadapsar is also being considered.
