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Pune Metro has started a major expansion project to improve connectivity between Chandni Chowk on the Mumbai-Bengaluru highway and the city areas. The new metro extension will include underground tunnels passing through Pune and Swargate, and the entire project is expected to be completed by 2029.
Pune Metro Extensions
Officials said work has started simultaneously on two metro extensions. Line 1 will be extended from Swargate to Katraj through an underground route, while Line 2 will be extended from Vanaz to Chandni Chowk through an elevated corridor. Together, the two routes will have eight metro stations.
Katraj junction, an important traffic point connecting the Pune-Mumbai highway, Mumbai-Bengaluru bypass, and Katraj-Kondhwa road, will be the final station on the underground route. Since the metro line passes through crowded areas, traffic diversions are already being implemented to manage congestion during construction.
Pune Metro Underground Work
Line 1, which currently runs between PCMC and Swargate, has been operational for the past few years. Pune Metro spokesperson Chandrashekar Tambekar said that underground work between Swargate and Katraj is moving quickly. Traffic near Market Yard and Bibwewadi metro station areas has been carefully redirected to reduce inconvenience for commuters.
Officials also said that two Tunnel Boring Machines (TBMs) will soon be assembled underground at Swargate and Katraj to begin tunnel construction. Maha-Metro Managing Director Shravan Hardikar stated that the TBM assembly work should be completed within the next few months.
Pune Metro's Progress Record
To help passengers during construction, Pune Metro and PMPML have changed bus routes and created temporary bus stops along footpaths after closing some BRTS stops. Meanwhile, soil testing has begun for the elevated Vanaz-Chandni Chowk extension, which is expected to be completed by mid-2028.