Disappointment for commuters as Pune Metro services to Shivajinagar to be delayed by two months

Currently, the trial run for the Metro service from Pimpri to Shivajinagar is underway. The Commissioner of Metro Rail Safety who will inspect the system will give a green signal based on a report on trial runs.

3 min readPuneJan 6, 2023 01:54 PM IST

Brijesh Dixit, managing director of Maharashtra Metro Rail Corporation Ltd, has said that they are making efforts to start the service as early as possible. (File)

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Disappointment for commuters as Pune Metro services to Shivajinagar to be delayed by two months

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COMMUTERS in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad who were eagerly waiting for Metro rail services up to Shivajinagar to get started in the New Year are in for a big disappointment. It will take at least another two months or could be even more for Pune Metro service to run up to Shivajinagar, the hub of Pune city, officials said.

“Currently, the trial run for Metro service from Pimpri to Shivajinagar is underway. After the trial runs are over, we will send the report to the Commissioner of Metro Rail Safety who will inspect the system and then give a green signal. All this will need more than two months’ time,” Maha Metro spokesperson Hemant Sonawane told The Indian Express Friday.

The trial run between Pimpri and Shivajinagar started on December 31. The trial runs are carried out to ensure that the system is full-proof so that the service can be started full-fledged on the route. “The trial runs are carried out either on consecutive days or at intervals. If we find anything amiss, corrective steps are immediately initiated. Only after we find that there is nothing wrong with the system during the trial runs, will we then invite the Commissioner of Metro Rail Safety to inspect the system. After this, we will wait for the Commissioner to give his report. If he suggests any corrective steps, we will be initiating the same,” the same.

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Thousands of commuters, especially office-goers and college students, who move to and from Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad have been waiting for the service to resume between Pimpri and Shivajinagar. Currently, the Metro service runs only between Pimpri and Phugewadi, for a distance of six kilometres. It was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi nine months ago.

Since then, Maha Metro has been promising to operate services up to Shivajinagar, which will be a game-changer. Initially, the Metro officials indicated that they would start the service from Diwali. Then, the date was extended year-end or in the New Year.

However, Brijesh Dixit, managing director of Maharashtra Metro Rail Corporation Ltd, has said that they are making efforts to start the service as early as possible.

The officials cite certain impediments to put the project on track. “Last month, the contractors supplying sand went on strike. It resulted in a delay of 15 days. Such hurdles keep cropping up. The Metro work has been completed up to 85 per cent,” Sonwane said.

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The inauguration, the officials said, was a political decision. “Our job is to get the work completed as soon as possible. We don’t look into the inauguration part,” Sonawane said.

College students, on the other hand, eagerly look forward to the Metro services to Shivajinagar as it would help thousands of students to reach their institutions on time. “Currently, due to heavy traffic jams between Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad, students are finding it difficult to reach their college on time. The PMPML buses and the local trains are also running to full capacity,” said Suraj Karale, a college student.

Manoj Dattatrye More

Manoj Dattatrye More is a Senior Editor at The Indian Express, having been with the publication since 1992. Based in Pune, he is a veteran journalist with a 33-year career that spans editorial desk work, investigative reporting, and political analysis. Professional Legacy Experience: He spent his first 16 years on the editorial desk before moving into active field reporting. He has written over 20,000 stories, including more than 10,000 bylined articles. Impact Journalism: He is widely respected for "campaign-style" reporting that leads to tangible social change. Road Safety: His decade-long campaign regarding the dangerous state of the Pune-Mumbai highway in Khadki resulted in a ₹23 crore reconstruction project in 2006, which dramatically reduced fatalities. Environmental Protection: His reports against tree cutting on the Pune-Mumbai and Pune-Nashik highways saved approximately 2,000 trees. Anti-Corruption: During the COVID-19 pandemic, he exposed a scam where doctors were being asked to pay bribes for government jobs, resulting in them being hired without payment. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) Manoj More's recent work focuses heavily on the shifting political landscape of Maharashtra and civic governance in the Pimpri-Chinchwad area: 1. Political Shifts & Alliances "Ajit Pawar's NCP continues domination in Pune, wins 10 of 17 local bodies" (Dec 21, 2025): A major report on the local self-government election results, detailing the NCP’s stronghold in Baramati, Indapur, and Lonavala. "BJP ropes in 13 ex-corporators, deals major blow to NCP" (Dec 20, 2025): Reporting on a significant political defection in Pimpri-Chinchwad as the BJP gears up for civic polls. "Congress opts for solo BMC run as alliance talks with Sena (UBT) collapse" (Dec 17, 2025): Covering the breakdown of Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) talks for the Mumbai civic elections. "NCP(SP)'s Rahul Kalate, Sena (UBT) leader Sanjog Waghere set to join BJP" (Dec 19, 2025): Detailing high-profile party-hopping ahead of the municipal elections. 2. Civic & Administrative Accountability "PCMC draws ire for issuing tenders worth Rs 250 crore just before poll code" (Dec 17, 2025): An investigative piece on the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation’s last-minute spending spree before election restrictions. "93 killed in 76 accidents in five years: Bypass service roads in Pune remain undeveloped for 18 yrs" (Nov 16, 2025): A critical look at the long-delayed infrastructure projects contributing to fatalities on Pune’s bypass roads. 3. Social & Labor Issues "As state says TCS has laid off 376 employees: FITE flags figures, say nearly 2,500 were forced to quit" (Dec 11, 2025): Investigating conflicting reports regarding IT sector layoffs in Maharashtra. "Maharashtra govt move to 'downgrade' Aadhaar cards" (Nov 30, 2025): Reporting on the state’s decision to require additional documents alongside Aadhaar to combat identity misuse. Signature Beat Manoj More is the definitive voice on Pimpri-Chinchwad, an industrial hub he has covered for three decades. His reporting is characterized by its aggressive stance against local "gondaism" (thuggery) and a relentless focus on civic infrastructure—choked drains, garbage management, and public transport. X (Twitter): @manojmore91982 ... Read More

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