With wadas, pagdis and Dandi March, Pune Metro to offer a ride through city’s culture, history

Expected to witness massive footfalls once they are operational, Chhatrapati Sambhaji Udyan and Deccan Gymkhana stations on the east-west corridor have been designed as a tribute to the Maratha pride.

“The elements of the stations will remain the same as others: they will have a concourse and a platform, but the exterior will have a representation of the traditional headgear and the iconic pagdi of Maratha soldiers symbolising their valour. The design of the pagdi in silver and scarlet reflects a confluence of the city’s past and present,” Dr Hemant Sonawane, executive director (PR) and chief vigilance officer of Pune Metro, said.

“A cable-stayed bridge, designed like a tanpura, will connect Chhatrapati Sambhaji Udyan station to the peth area. This is an attempt to pay tribute to the art and culture of the city as the station is located next to Bal Gandharva Rangmandir.

A unique feature of this bridge is that not a single pier will be erected on the riverbed.” While finalising the design and architecture of the metro stations, motifs were picked to match historical or cultural landmarks in the vicinity of the proposed structures.

A unique feature of this bridge is that not a single pier will be erected on the riverbed.

“In a city, there are areas that can easily be recognised by a monument. The MD of Pune Metro, Dr Brijesh Dixit, was interested in portraying the city’s history and culture at the stations. If a station is in the vicinity of a monument, people will relate it with the structure. We held brainstorming sessions to decide if station facades can be designed in a way – the entry-exit structure or using colour combination – that they reflect the beauty and architecture of nearby monuments,” Sonawane said.

The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) station, located in the heart of the old peth areas, has been inspired by Wadas – large houses with courtyards built during the time of Marathas and Peshwas. Painted in earthy shades, with rows of windows allowing ample light and air, the station promises a trip to the past.

Offering a panoramic view of an unspooling film reel embedded with easily-recognisable cinema motifs, the Nal Stop metro station has been designed to fit into its neighbourhood, which includes establishments such as the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) and National Film Archive of India (NFAI). On the north-south corridor, where several localities have witnessed decades of industrialisation, metro stations such as PCMC, Bhosari (Nashik Phata), Khadki and Range Hill blend with the surrounding landscape.

“It is important to keep pace with the industrial nature of Pune, so the station architecture from PCMC to Swargate corridor follows an industrial style. There are geometric and modular concepts that expand throughout the outer facade and inner structure. The metallic frames and perforated metal panel-like material represent the manufacturing and industrial base of the region. The louvres bring air and direct ventilation inside the building and the variation is minimal, systematic and highly functional,” says an official statement from Pune Metro Rail.

Chhatrapati Sambhaji Udyan & Deccan Gymkhana Metro Station.

Sprawling patterns with leaf motifs at Sant Tukaram Nagar, Bopodi and Phugewadi metro stations celebrate Pune’s green cover.

“From the stem, the leaf unfolds, at first slowly and then spreads magnificently, into a sleek and even form. The leaf spreads and then converges delicately to the tip, its many venations criss-crossing,” says the email from Pune Metro. Sant Tukaram metro station will also have a foot-over bridge embellished with drawings inspired by the Warkari tradition.

The Bund Garden Metro Station on the east-west corridor displays an intricate artwork inspired by nature. According to metro officials, the nature-based theme complements the favourite pastime of local residents: being outdoors. “The station is strategically located as it is close to the Pune Cantonment area. It provides easy access to central Pune via the Yerwada Bridge in the north and lies squarely in the middle of an upscale residential area with malls, restaurants and schools,” says an official statement from the Pune Metro Rail.

At the Yerwada Mahatma Gandhi Smruti metro station, an imposing facade displays a charkha and an illustration of the Dandi March. Sonwane said that Pune’s role in the freedom struggle was taken into account while finalising designs for the metro station.

“Yerwada is one of the most densely populated areas of Pune. It has a historical significance since Mahatma Gandhi was imprisoned by the British during the freedom struggle at the Yerwada jail. The metro station has therefore been designed as a tribute to Gandhiji and his principle of self-reliance, which is represented by the charkha,” he said.

Sporting a contemporary and an “urbane architectural” look, the stations at Vanaz, Mangalwar Peth (RTO) and Garware College look like stylised versions of metro coaches. From serving as a base for the Peshwas in the 18th century to becoming a major IT and industrial hub in the last few decades, Pune has witnessed a massive growth – both geographically and demographically. The rapid urbanisation, which has led to traffic congestion and issues of connectivity, prompted the Maharashtra government to introduce the metro rail in Pune.

“Industrialisation transformed Pune from a cycle city and a pensioners’ paradise to an urban conglomerate where public transport could not keep up with the influx of people,” Sonawane said.