With the first phase of Pune Metro nearing completion, and the start of the metro service from Vanaz to Ruby Hall, and Pimpri Chinchwad to Shivajinagar, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) on Friday gave a go-ahead to the proposal for the second phase of Pune metro rail. This will entail service from Khadakwasla to Kharadi via Swargate and Hadapsar, Paudphata to Manikbaug via Warje, Ramwadi to Kharadi, and Vanaz to Chandni Chowk.0 The Maharashtra Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (Maha-Metro) which has been entrusted to implement the extended route proposed in the second phase of Pune Metro had submitted a detailed project report (DPR) to PMC. “The Khadakwasla to Kharadi via Swargate and Hadapsar metro rail route (25.862 km), Paudphata to Manikbaug via Warje route (6.118 km) will cost Rs 9,074.24 crore. Towards this, Maha Metro will raise a loan of Rs 4,354.84 crore, while the remaining expense will be shared by the Centre, State and PMC,” said Municipal Commissioner VIkram Kumar after approval of the DPR. He said, “The Vanaz to Chandni chowk route of 1.112 km and Ramwadi to Wagholi route of 11.633 km will cost Rs 3,609.27 crore for which Rs 1,895 crore loan will be raised by Maha-Metro while Centre and State will also contribute towards the project.” The PMC will provide 209.41 sq metre area on temporary basis, and 2,297.17 sq metre at Sarasbaug, Nehru Stadium, Ganesh Kala Krida Manch, on permanent basis to Maha-Metro which is worth Rs 6.77 crore. The DPR for the extended route which is completely elevated was first submitted in September last year, but later it was revised and sent to PMC for approval. The funding pattern was also submitted for approval. “The extended route will be developed by Maha-Metro and the PMC will not give any guarantee for the loan to be raised to develop the extended route of Pune metro,” Kumar said. The PMC will include the metro rail route and its station in the city's development plan, he added. PMC limits have expanded to around 500 sq km, making it the second largest city in the country with a population of around 45 lakh. Thereupon, it necessitates a mass public transport network to reduce road traffic and inconvenience to citizens, he said. The proposal will now be sent to the state government for approval, then to the Centre before its actual implementation begins. The proposal to extend the route from Swargate to Katraj and Pimpri Chinchwad to Nigdi is pending approval with the Centre. In the second phase of Pune Metro, the plan is to increase the rail network by 82.5 km, from Vanaz to Chandni chowk, Ramwadi to Wagholi, SNDT to Warje, Hadapsar to Kharadi, Swargate to Hadapsar, Khadakwasla to Swargate on proposed HCMTR route. The foundation stone for the first phase of Pune Metro was laid in 2017 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and he inaugurated the first stretch of the service last year, and the second stretch on Tuesday, which connect PMC with PCMC.
