Pune Metro Line 3 to Be Inaugurated by PM Modi on November 3; Passenger Services from November 4
17 stations to open in first phase; 23.20-km Hinjewadi–Shivajinagar corridor expected to ease traffic congestion and benefit 2–2.5 lakh commuters daily
PUNE : The much-awaited Pune Metro Line 3, connecting Maan–Hinjewadi with Shivajinagar, will be inaugurated virtually by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on November 3, 2026. Passenger services on the 23.20-km elevated corridor will commence at 6 am on November 4, marking a significant milestone in Pune’s public transport network.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Sunetra Ajit Pawar will be present at the inauguration ceremony scheduled for 10.30 am at the badminton hall of the Shri Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex in Mahalunge-Balewadi.
The details were announced at a press conference held at the Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA) headquarters in Akurdi on Saturday by Metropolitan Commissioner Dr Abhijit Chaudhary, Additional Metropolitan Commissioner K. Manjulakshmi, Pune IT City Metro Rail Limited (PITCMRL) CEO Anilkumar Saini and Chief Metropolitan Engineer (Special Projects) Rinaz Pathan.
Popularly known as the ‘Punekar Metro’ and ‘Pink Line’, the project has an estimated cost of Rs 8,313 crore, including land acquisition and utility shifting. It is being implemented under the Design, Build, Finance, Operate and Transfer (DBFOT) model through a public-private partnership, making it the first metro project in the country under this model.
Of the total 23 stations, 17 will become operational in the first phase. The remaining six stations will be completed in stages, with two expected by November-end 2026 and four by January 2027.
Dr Chaudhary said the corridor would connect major IT and commercial hubs, including Hinjewadi, Wakad, Baner, Balewadi, Aundh and Shivajinagar. The service is expected to benefit approximately 2–2.5 lakh commuters daily and help reduce traffic congestion.
Metro services will operate from 6 am. The last train from Maan towards District Court will depart at 10.30 pm, while the last train from District Court towards Maan will leave at 11.40 pm. Trains will run every six minutes during peak hours and every 12 minutes during non-peak hours.
The District Court station will provide interchange connectivity with Maha Metro’s Line 1 and Line 2. A common ticketing application has also been developed for commuters.
The project includes 7.60 MW of installed solar power capacity, expected to meet around 30 per cent of its electricity requirements. Around 100 women train pilots will operate the metro services, while women will constitute nearly 50 per cent of station staff.
Officials said the project has also incorporated several sustainability measures, including carbon emission reduction, water conservation and tree plantation. Around 5,500 new trees have been planted and 750 trees relocated as part of the project.
