Prime Minister Narendra Modi virtually inaugurated a 3.68-km section of the Pune Metro from District Court to Swargate, marking the completion of the first phase of the project. In his speech, he criticized the previous Congress-led UPA government for delaying the metro's progress, stating that no work had been done until his administration laid the foundation in 2016. The Prime Minister also launched projects worth INR 11,200 crore and laid the foundation for the metro's extension to Katraj. He emphasized the importance of modernizing Pune's transport and infrastructure to boost urban development and connectivity in Maharashtra.
Nearly eight years after laying the foundation stone for the Pune Metro Rail project, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi virtually inaugurated a 3.68-km section of the Pune Metro from District Court to Swargate earlier this week, signifying the completion of the project's first phase.
Ahead of the upcoming Maharashtra Assembly elections, which are expected in November, the Prime Minister also launched various projects worth over INR 11,200 crore through video conferencing. During the inauguration of the first Metro run along the District Court to Swargate route, the Prime Minister, who began his speech in Marathi, praised the work accomplished on the Pune Metro's expansion. He criticised the previous Congress-led UPA government for not taking any steps to ease Pune's transport issues.
He remarked that the need for the Pune Metro had been discussed back in 2008, but over the following eight years, the previous administration hadn't even managed to construct a single pillar for the project. He stated that after his government took charge, they made swift decisions, laying the foundation stone in 2016, and that a modern Pune Metro network is now rapidly taking shape and expanding. The Prime Minister also laid the foundation stone for the extension of the metro line from Swargate to Katraj.
The extension of Pune Metro's first phase includes the stretch from Swargate to Katraj. Several prominent leaders, including Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Deputy Chief Ministers Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar, along with other cabinet members and Pune MP Murlidhar Mohol, attended the event earlier this week.
The Prime Minister was initially expected to visit Pune and inaugurate the new Metro stretch, but his visit was cancelled due to heavy rain forecasts. As a result, it was decided that the project, implemented by Maha Metro Rail Corporation Ltd, would be inaugurated virtually.
The Prime Minister had laid the foundation stone for the Pune Metro project in December 2016, and the actual construction began in July 2017. The project was originally scheduled for completion in 2022, but work came to a standstill for two years due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Maha Metro's Managing Director, Shravan Hardikar, shared that the section from District Court to Swargate was completed in a record time of two years, despite facing challenges such as opposition and land acquisition issues.
Metro officials noted that the completion of the first phase would significantly reduce the travel time for commuters from both Pune city and Pimpri-Chinchwad. They explained that it currently takes around one and a half hours, and sometimes up to three or four hours during the monsoon, to travel from Pimpri-Chinchwad to Swargate using Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Ltd buses or private vehicles. Now, with the Metro, the commute will only take around 34 minutes.
The Prime Minister remarked that Maharashtra requires ambitious goals and new resolutions, stating that cities like Pune should become centres of progress and urban development. He emphasised the need to take decisive steps to boost development and enhance capacity. He also expressed the Mahayuti government's commitment to modernising Pune's public transport, improving connectivity, and ensuring ease of living for its residents.
Referring to various projects that were allegedly delayed before the Mahayuti government came to power in Maharashtra, the Prime Minister pointed out that projects such as the Metro, the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train, and irrigation initiatives for farmers had all been postponed. He stressed that Maharashtra could achieve rapid progress under development-driven governance.
Advertisement
Facebook
Whatsapp
