Centre approves Rs. 910-cr for Phase-II of Pune Metro project
The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs has granted final approval for the next phase of the Pune Metro, which involves an investment of Rs 910.18 crore. This also marks the beginning of Phase II of the project. The Maharashtra government has proposed an extension of 82.5 km in the second phase. The government’s sanction is for expanding the metro rail by 4.413 km from the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation station to Nigdi, with three elevated stations at Chinchwad, Akurdi and Nigdi. The Maharashtra Metro Rail Corporation has already floated tenders to appoint a general consultancy to speed up the work and to conduct a social impact assessment of the project. Tenders for civil, electrical and signal works will be floated, and contractors will be selected soon. This is an extension of the Swargate to Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation corridor, expanding the Pune Metro network to 37.613 km, encompassing 33 stations. The Pune Metro project currently has 23.6 km of operational tracks, and the work is expected to be completed in three years.