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Metro line 3 timeline extended to March '26
Pune: The executive committee under additional chief secretary (Finance) has approved an extension for completing the 23-km PMRDA Metro Line 3 — connecting Hinjewadi with Shivajinagar — by March 2026 on Friday.
The concessionaire's request for a deadline extension was placed before the committee and has now received formal approval, PMRDA commissioner Yogesh Mhase confirmed to TOI on Saturday.
"The executive committee has cleared the proposal. The new outer limit for the Metro line's completion is March 2026," Mhase said. A similar extension has also been granted for the integrated double-deck flyover between University Chowk and E-Square junction, with the new deadline set for the end of October.
Officials said over 85% of metro work was completed, but several major elements remain. Delays were attributed to pending barricading permissions—especially on VIP routes and high-traffic arterial roads—as well as slow utility shifting. These issues prevented continuous work, necessitating a timeline revision.
Originally slated to open in March this year, the Metro launch was first postponed to September, then December, and now to March 2026. Trial runs, previously scheduled for September, are now expected early next year. The entire 23-km line will open in a single phase, officials said.
The delay has caused growing frustration among commuters.
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