Pune Metro Line 3 has achieved a major milestone as the passenger service on the Hinjawadi–Shivajinagar Metro corridor has officially moved closer to commencement.
The Commissioner of Metro Rail Safety (CMRS), under the Ministry of Civil Aviation, has granted Provisional Authorization on July 23, 2026, for commencing passenger operations on the Maan Station to R.K. Laxman Museum (Balewadi) section comprising 12 metro stations.
The approval enables metro trains to operate at a maximum speed of 80 kmph in Automatic Train Protection (ATP) mode under the Communications-Based Train Control (CBTC) signalling system.
The authorization was granted only after the successful completion of all statutory inspections, technical evaluations, safety checks, and mandatory compliance requirements.
The approved section of Pune Metro Line 3 spans approximately 13 kilometres and consists of a double-track corridor powered through a 750 Volt DC Third Rail Traction System.
The Commissioner of Metro Rail Safety conducted a comprehensive inspection of the corridor between July 5 and July 8, 2026, in the presence of senior officials of Pune IT City Metro Rail Limited (PITCMRL).
Following the preliminary inspection and subsequent review, PITCMRL submitted compliance reports addressing every observation raised by the safety authority.
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Before granting the approval, a successful trial validation of Pune Metro Line 3 was carried out. The CMRS also thoroughly verified technical approvals related to all major metro systems, including the Independent Safety Assessor (ISA) certification, No Objection Certificate from the Chief Electrical Inspector to Government (CEIG), licence from the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), Fire Department No Objection Certificates for all 12 stations, and certifications covering civil works, track, signalling, telecommunications, and rolling stock systems.
Anil Kumar Saini, Chief Executive Officer of Pune IT City Metro Rail Limited, said: “The statutory safety approval received for Pune Metro Line 3 marks a historic milestone for the project. It reinforces our commitment to safety, high quality and engineering excellence. We have taken another decisive step towards introducing a modern metro service for the citizens of Pune.
The approval from the Commissioner of Metro Rail Safety is a highly significant milestone towards the commencement of passenger services on a modern, safe and sustainable public transport system connecting Hinjawadi’s IT hub with Pune city.”
Commenting on the development, Dr. Abhijit Chaudhari, Metropolitan Commissioner, PMRDA, said:
“The approval granted by the Commissioner of Metro Rail Safety for the first phase of the Hinjawadi to Shivajinagar Pune Metro Line 3 project is a matter of great satisfaction for the citizens of Pune and PMRDA.
The project will certainly become a milestone in reducing traffic congestion in the Hinjawadi IT Park area and providing citizens with a safe, fast and environmentally friendly public transport system. With this approval, the project has reached a major and decisive milestone, and the PMRDA administration is committed to completing the remaining formalities at the earliest so that passenger services can commence as soon as possible.”
The CMRS approval marks a significant regulatory milestone for Pune Metro Line 3, bringing the Man–Balewadi section closer to the launch of passenger services while completing all mandatory statutory and safety requirements.
