The state government recently approved the plan to extend Metro services till Nigdi, but another extension proposal, from Swargate to Katraj, has yet to gain traction.
The proposal is waiting for the civic body’s approval, even though its detail project report has been ready since last year.
The Pune Municipal Corporation has yet to approve the DPR and send it to the state government for consideration. As per the DPR, drafted by Maharashtra Metro Rail Corporation Limited (MahaMetro), the extension pegged at Rs4,300 crore will be underground from Swargate to Katraj.
The approval has been stuck because of the lockdown imposed last year and subsequent restrictions on PMC’s general body meetings.
In March 2020, PMC’s standing committee had approved the allocation of Rs233.75 crore for this extension and also sought permission from the general body to assign the project to MahaMetro and include the final route alignment in the development plan. PMC sources said the proposal would be taken up on priority in the next few days.
Meanwhile, another proposal — to run Metro Neo on this route — is also under consideration. This option would be cheaper than underground or elevated Metro, officials said.
MahaMetro said it was waiting for the go-ahead from the state government.
“It is up to the state government to guide us on whether to study this proposal. We can only proceed once we receive instructions from the government and the civic body. A similar study on Metro Neo is underway on the Chakan corridor in Pimpri Chinchwad,” an official said.
The Swargate-Katraj section is among the busiest stretches in the city. A senior corporator said, “If the extension is executed as part of the first phase of the Metro project, it would benefit people.”
