Pune: Hinjewadi-Shivajinagar Metro Misses Another Deadline, IT Leaders Sound Alarm
Pune, March 29, 2025 – The much-awaited Hinjewadi-Shivajinagar Metro corridor, expected to ease traffic congestion and improve connectivity for Pune’s IT sector, continues to face delays. Despite being a critical infrastructure project for the city, its completion remains uncertain, leaving thousands of daily commuters frustrated.
The Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA) had initially set the completion date for March 2025. However, only 85% of the civil work has been finished so far, and affected stakeholders are raising concerns over further delays. The Metro, which aims to connect Pune’s largest IT hub to the city center, was meant to ease the daily commute for nearly six lakh employees working in Hinjewadi. However, with work still ongoing at several stations, there is growing uncertainty about when the project will be ready for public use.
Mounting Challenges for Commuters and Businesses
Traffic congestion remains a severe issue in Hinjewadi, with over 12,000 vehicles passing through major intersections every hour during peak times. The lack of reliable public transport options has left employees and residents struggling with long travel times and increased commuting costs. The Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Limited (PMPML) operates only about 200 buses in the area, which is inadequate for the rising demand.
Infrastructure challenges are also piling up, with deteriorating road conditions around Metro construction sites. Commuters report unmarked diversions, damaged roads, and poor lighting, making daily travel increasingly difficult. The ongoing Metro work has also led to longer detours, further worsening travel time and fuel expenses for daily commuters.
Project Status and Revised Timeline
Officials confirm that finishing works are in progress at 14 stations, while signaling and telecommunication systems are being installed at 12. Land acquisition for station construction near Raj Bhavan and Modern College is currently underway. Authorities expect all civil work to be completed by the end of this year. However, the final completion deadline has now been extended to September 2025, further delaying the much-needed transport solution for Pune’s IT professionals.
While the Metro project struggles with delays, other Indian cities like Hyderabad and Noida continue to expand their IT infrastructure with improved metro connectivity. This has raised concerns that Pune could lose its competitive edge as an IT hub, with companies exploring other locations due to poor urban planning and transport facilities.
In a small relief, Pune traffic police have announced that the Range Hills Chowk-Shivajinagar stretch, which was closed for Metro-related work, will gradually reopen in the coming days. However, unless the Metro is completed soon, Pune’s IT workforce will continue to battle daily transport woes, affecting productivity and quality of life.
