Pune Metro from Pimpri to Swargate: PM to flag off Shivajinagar District Court to Swargate stretch today

However, the real game-changer was on August 1, 2022, when the Prime Minister inaugurated two extended stretches — Phugewadi to District Court, Shivajinagar (6.9 km, four stations) and Garware College to Ruby Hall Clinic (4.7 km, seven stations). Thousands of commuters from Pimpri-Chinchwad travel to Shivajinagar area daily. For them, reaching Shivajinagar in just 20-25 minutes brought a big respite from the nightmarish traffic jams on the Pune-Mumbai highway stretch.

On March 6, 2024, when the Prime Minister inaugurated the Ruby Hall Clinic to Ramwadi Metro stretch, commuters in Pimpri-Chinchwad further heaved a sigh of relief as they could reach Kalyaninagar and Vimannagar areas in no time by avoiding the traffic madness right from Khadki to Kalyaninagar.

And now the completion of Shivajinagar-Swargate stretch means commuters from Pimpri-Chinchwad won’t have to slug it out in chaotic traffic to reach Swargate. The travel time from Pimpri to Swargate will come down drastically — at least by half.

Currently, from Pimpri, it takes one and hour to two hours to reach Swargate by PMPML buses. During rains, it even takes more than two hours or sometimes even three hours to reach Swargate. Similarly, from Swargate reaching Pimpri-Chinchwad is a nightmare in itself as every PMPML bus is jam-packed with commuters. In such a scenario, youngsters have no option but to take to two-wheelers which has lead to several deaths and injuries, including some turning to vegetative state life long.

Similarly, residents living in Pune city who work in Pimpri-Chinchwad MIDC area, will benefit immensely from the opening of the new stretch provided the Maha Metro ensures better feeder service. ”From Pimpri to Swargate, commuters will be able to reach in just 40 minutes. It will be a big relief for commuters from Pimpri as well as those living Pune city areas,” said Maha Metro MD Shravan Hardikar.

Former PCMC corporator Seema Savale narrated her nightmare during this evening’s rain. “It took us four hours to reach Pimpri from Pune city. There was huge traffic as it rained heavily. There was water logging and snarls at every stretch. It is good that Pune Metro wil be finally reaching even Swargate.”

Stating that Pimpri-Chinchwad was now ”well-connected” to Pune city, activist Amol Deshpande said, ”Metro opening its stretch right up to Swargate will bring a massive relief to citizens from Pimpri-Chinchwad. Currently, for residents of Pimpri-Chinchwad, going to Swargate is like going to Mumbai. It looks so far because of unending traffic snarls. Once you step out of your house to go to Swargate, you can only return late in the evening. It is a such task travelling either with personal vehicles or with public transport.”

However, Deshpande said Maha Metro’s task does not end here. ”It has to ensure proper feeder service and parking space. Because of lack of parking space, people who use cars avoid travel by Metro. Even two-wheeler riders find it difficult to get space to park their vehicles.”

Besides, Deshpande said commuters who work in Bhosari MIDC area and are living in Pune city, need proper feeder service after they get down at Nashik Phata or Kasarwadi station. ”The moment they get down if proper feeder service is available to Bhosari MIDC areas, why would they then travel by their person vehicles?,” he asked.

Kailas Jadhav, a resident of Dapodi, said, ”I used to travel regularly by PMPML buses to Pune to city. But I have travel by Pune Metro up to Shivajinagar and then from Shivajinagar I have to again catch a bus to reach Swargate. All this takes close to two hours. Now I hope to reach Swargate in less than an hour without getting caught up in traffic chaos.” Several commuters from Pimpri-Chinchwad expressed similar sentiments.”

However, some residents said their suburb was not connected to Pune Metro through they lived in Pimpri-Chinchwad. ”We live in Kalewadi. Pune Metro is more than two kilometres away. Buses are few and far to reach Pune city. There is no proper feeder service for us to reach Pune Metro,” said Lata Mahankale, a resident of Kalewadi.”

Vrushali Patankar, a resident of Bhosari-Indrayani Nagar area, said, ”I live in Indrayani Nagar area. We only get to hear that commuters travails have eased. But when are they going to connect Indrayani Nagar to Pune Metro.”