Building Pune: Longest Metro route proposed to provide connectivity across Pimpri Chinchwad

Indian Express

2 days ago

After connecting Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad as well as four corners of the city through Metro rail, the Maharashtra Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (Maha-Metro) has now proposed to connect four corners of the Pimpri Chinchwad region and extend its connectivity to the neighbouring industrial town of Chakan from Nigdi via Wakad, Pimple Saudagar, and Bhosari.
Once the Central Government gives its approval, the proposed 41-km-long Bhakti Shakti-Wakad-Nashik Phata-Chakan route will be the longest route of Pune Metro in the city.
It has been proposed to provide changeover for commuters on the new route by providing connectivity via skywalk to Hinjewadi to Shivajinagar line at Wakad and Swargate to Pimpri Chinchwad line at Sant Tukaramnagar Metro station, allowing Metro rail accessibility to any corner of Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad.
The Metro route named Bhakti Shakti-Wakad-Nashik Phata-Chakan is designed to run at a maximum speed of 80 km per hour. It is expected to have a ridership of 3.38 lakh per day by 2031, which would increase to 7.81 lakh by 2061.
Stations on the new route
The Metro train will start from Bhakti Shakti on Old Mumbai-Pune highway and will have stations at Transport Nagar, Ganesh Nagar, Mukai Chowk, Ravet, Punawale Gaon, Punawale, Tathawade Gaon, Tathawade, Bhumar chowk, Bhujbal chowk, Wakad Vishal Nagar corner, Kokane chowk, Pimple Saudagar, Pimple Gurav, Nashik Phata, Sant Tukaramnagar, Valabh Nagar, Gavli Matha chowk, Bhosari MIDC, Bhosari District Centre, Godown chowk, PIEC, Bharatmata Moshi, Chimbali Phata, Bargevasti, Kuruli, Alandi Phata, Nanekarwadi and Chakan.
The Maha-Metro has proposed a depot-cum-workshop near the Bhosari District Centre Metro station land, of 12.04 hectares owned by the Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA).
The route will have three car coaches to ply, while 63 coaches will be required by 2031 to meet the estimated ridership, with 48 coaches for the Bhakti-Shakti to Chakan route and 15 coaches for the Bhumkar Chowk to Godown Chowk route. These coaches will handle 3.38 lakh commuters daily. The coaches will have to be increased on the new stretch to 129 to meet the estimated ridership of 7.81 lakh per day, officials said.
The PCMC and state government will have to carry out land acquisition as the proposed route falls under the jurisdiction of PCMC and PMRDA. The proposal, after approval of the PCMC and PMRDA, will be forwarded to the state government for approval. It will be implemented only after a go-ahead by the Central Government.
The previous longest route was the 31.63-km Khadakwasla-Kharadi route, which is set to be constructed at Rs 9,897 crore. Though it has got the approval of the state government, authorities are awaiting the nod of the Central Government for implementation.
At present, the Swargate to Pimpri Chinchwad route and Vanaz to Ramwadi route are operational, while the Hinjewadi-Shivajinagar rail route will be operational in the next few months.
Meanwhile, the Pune Metro Rail has begun the extension of the route from PCMC to Bhakti Shakti and Swargate to Katraj after the approval from the Central Government last year. In June this year, the Centre approved the development of Vanaz to Chandni Chowk and Ramwadi to Wagholi routes, while the proposal for the new route from SNDT to Manikbaug via Warje and Khadakwasla to Kharadi is awaiting the Centre's nod.
BJP legislator Shankar Jagtap from Chinchwad said, 'A game-changer for Pimpri-Chinchwad is coming closer as Maha-Metro has officially submitted the Detailed Project Report (DPR) to PCMC — the first big step towards making the Nigdi to Chakan Metro a reality.'
The route from Bhakti-Shakti Chowk in Nigdi to Chakan will provide seamless connectivity for 35-40 km and link almost 75 per cent of Pimpri Chinchwad city with fast, comfortable, and eco-friendly transit, he said, adding this Metro will cut travel time to Chakan MIDC and PCMC's busiest hubs.