Maharashtra Metro Rail Corporation (MahaMetro) plans to raise funds from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to expand the metro network in Pune across multiple corridors. This expansion includes the extension of Pune Metro Phase I and Phase II.
Shravan Hardikar, the managing director of MahaMetro, stated that 40% of the funding for these metro projects will come from equity provided by the central and the Maharashtra state government, and the remaining 60% will be procured as debt from international funding agencies. The majority of the funding is anticipated to come from ADB, with additional funding for one of the corridors in the northern part of Pune being sourced from the European Investment Bank (EIB). Pune Metro has already raised ₹4,650 crore from EIB for the construction of which includes two existing metro lines, 30 stations, and 102 metro cars.
Scaling the Infrastructure
On Friday, Hardikar outlined the roadmap for Phase II and the future expansion of the Pune metro network, setting a target for completing the project in five years. The network is projected to expand from 33.28 km to 173 km. Hardikar mentioned that 27 additional train sets are needed; orders for 12 train sets have been placed, and tenders for the remaining 15 will be issued soon. Plans also include increasing the number of coaches from three to six.
The northern extension from the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation station to Bhakti Shakti Chowk is expected to be completed by December 2027, with an investment of ₹1,000 crore. The southern extension from Swargate to Katraj is projected to cost ₹2,954 crore and aims for completion by 2029.
According to Hardikar, multiple corridors under Phase II of Pune Metro have received approval from the central government. This includes the ₹3,626.24 crore East-West expansion, connecting Vanaz to Chandni Chowk and Ramwadi to Wagholi. The upcoming corridors of Line 4, which will link Khadakwasla, Hadapsar, and Kharadi, along with a spur line from Manik Baug to Swargate, have also received approval and are estimated to cost ₹9,857.85 crore.
Future projects include the largest metro stretch from Bhakti Shakti Chowk to Chakan, covering 45.29 km and comprising 34 stations, with an expected cost of around ₹13,000 crore. The Hadapsar-Loni Kalbhor and Hadapsar-Saswad projects, estimated at ₹5,704 crore, are currently undergoing the approval process. Additionally, Metro Lite projects have been recommended for an extensive 164 km in the Pune region.
Next Frontier
Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) for the Kondhwa–NIBM Road extension and an airport connector line are currently in preparation, Hardikar said.
Pune Metro has achieved ridership of 7.08 crore in FY26, generating fare revenue of Rs 110.97 crore and non-fare revenue of Rs 21.78 crore, and total revenue of Rs 133 crore. MahaMetro has serviced its debt to the tune of Rs 426.96 crore through the Metro Cess levied by the state government.