Did the Cabinet Approve the Rs 3,626 Crore Pune Metro Rail Project Phase-2?

New Delhi, June 25 (NationPress) The Union Cabinet, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has officially sanctioned the Rs 3,626.24 crore Pune Metro Rail Project Phase-2 in Maharashtra. This phase includes the Vanaz to Chandani Chowk Corridor and the Ramwadi to Wagholi Corridor, which are extensions of the already established Vanaz-Ramwadi corridor from Phase-1.

The two elevated corridors will cover a distance of 12.75 km and will feature 13 stations, linking rapidly expanding suburbs like Chandani Chowk, Bavdhan, Kothrud, Kharadi, and Wagholi. The completion of this project is projected within a four-year timeframe, as stated in an official announcement following the Cabinet meeting.

The total estimated cost of the project is Rs 3,626.24 crore, which will be financed equally by the Government of India, the Government of Maharashtra, along with contributions from external bilateral and multilateral agencies.

This initiative is a well-planned extension of the existing Corridor-2 and is in line with the Comprehensive Mobility Plan (CMP), which aims to create a continuous metro corridor from Chandani Chowk to Wagholi to enhance East-West mass transit in Pune, as highlighted in the statement.

The new corridors will cater to vital IT hubs, commercial districts, educational institutions, and residential areas, significantly increasing public transport usage and ridership across the metro network. Additionally, these corridors will connect at the District Court Interchange Station with Line-1 (Nigdi-Katraj) and Line-3 (Hinjewadi-District Court), facilitating smooth multimodal urban travel.

In terms of long-term mobility planning, intercity bus services from cities such as Mumbai and Bengaluru will be linked at Chandani Chowk, while buses from Ahilya Nagar and Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar will connect at Wagholi, thus streamlining access to Pune’s Metro system. These extensions are also expected to alleviate congestion on major thoroughfares like Paud Road and Nagar Road, providing safe, quick, and environmentally friendly transportation solutions.

Upon completion of these corridors, the anticipated incremental daily ridership for the entire Line 2 is projected to reach 0.96 lakh by 2027, 2.01 lakh by 2037, 2.87 lakh by 2047, and 3.49 lakh by 2057.

The project will be executed by the Maharashtra Metro Rail Corporation Limited (Maha-Metro), responsible for all civil, electro-mechanical, and related tasks. Preliminary activities, including topographical surveys and detailed design consultancy, have already begun.

This important expansion is set to unlock Pune’s economic potential, improve its urban transport framework, and substantially contribute to sustainable and inclusive development across the metropolitan area, as noted in the statement.