Pune’s Hinjewadi-Shivajinagar Metro Line 3 Moves Closer to Partial Launch
Pune’s long-awaited Hinjewadi-Shivajinagar Metro Line 3 is moving closer to operations, with 12 stations on the route likely to open by the end of June 2026, subject to final safety inspections and approvals.
The initial operational stretch is expected to cover the section from Maan to Balewadi. According to PMRDA officials, the 23.23 km elevated corridor is now around 95.2% complete, with the Commissioner of Metro Rail Safety expected to inspect the route soon. Trial runs across the full Hinjewadi-Shivajinagar corridor have already been completed successfully.
The full corridor will include 23 stations, connecting Pune’s IT and residential belt in Hinjewadi with Shivajinagar. While the first phase will provide partial relief to commuters, the complete benefits of the project are expected only once the full stretch up to Shivajinagar becomes operational. The remaining 11 stations closer to Shivajinagar are expected to be completed by October 2026.
The delay in full readiness is linked to technical challenges at select stations in areas such as Baner and Shivajinagar. Some of the stations in the first phase may also begin operations with limited access initially, as certain construction-related works continue around them.
Once fully operational, Line 3 will become a critical urban mobility corridor for Pune, especially for professionals and residents travelling between Hinjewadi, Balewadi, Baner, and central Pune. The line is also expected to integrate with the existing Pune Metro network, improving citywide connectivity and reducing dependence on road-based travel.
The project also holds national significance as India’s first public-private partnership-based Metro project. It is being executed by Pune IT City Metro Rail Limited, a joint venture between the Tata Group and Siemens.
From a real estate and infrastructure perspective, the partial opening of this corridor is an important development. Metro-led connectivity has the potential to improve accessibility, support residential demand, strengthen commercial activity, and increase the attractiveness of office and mixed-use developments along the route.
The Hinjewadi-Balewadi-Baner-Shivajinagar belt is already one of Pune’s most active growth corridors, supported by IT parks, residential expansion, social infrastructure, and commercial development. Improved Metro connectivity is expected to further enhance the long-term value of this corridor by reducing commute friction and supporting more integrated urban growth.
As Pune continues to expand, projects like Metro Line 3 will play a key role in shaping mobility, real estate absorption, and infrastructure-led development across the city’s high-growth western corridor.
Source: The Times of India
