Pune: The detailed project report for the proposed elevated Metro extension linking Kondhwa, NIBM and Yewalewadi would be ready within three months, Maha Metro officials said on Monday, stressing that the project could be completed by 2030-31 if approvals and road-widening progressed as scheduled.The proposal forms part of a 20km Metro extension from Shivajinagar to Yewalewadi via Camp, Pulgate and Kondhwa, with a spur line from NIBM Junction to Undri. The project was among the Metro expansion plans discussed at a recent Pune Unified Metropolitan Transport Authority (PUMTA) meeting.Maha Metro director (works) Atul Gadgil said consultants, appointed around two months back, were conducting field surveys and alignment studies. “The proposed route will run from Shivajinagar to the collectorate and then through Camp and Pulgate towards Kondhwa and Yewalewadi. A spur corridor is planned from Jyoti Square to NIBM Junction and onward to Undri near Bishop’s School. Metro stations are proposed at roughly 1km intervals,” he said.Officials said after the DPR was completed, the proposal would undergo statutory approvals before being submitted to state and central govts for final sanction. They, however, said road widening along the proposed elevated corridor remained a key requirement. “Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) and Pune Cantonment Board (PCB) have been told to ensure adequate road width for Metro pillars and related infrastructure before permissions are granted,” an official said.Residents from Kondhwa, NIBM, Undri and Wanowrie have long demanded Metro connectivity, citing rapid urbanisation, chronic traffic congestion and inadequate public transport. Residents’ groups said the project would provide a much-needed mass transit option for commuters travelling to the city.Undri Forum’s Dilip Shah said fast-growing localities like Undri, Mohammedwadi, Handewadi, Wadachiwadi and Phursungi continued to struggle with poor road infrastructure despite large-scale residential development. As a result, most residents depended on private vehicles, leading to frequent traffic jams.Wanowrie residents also urged authorities to prioritise the project, arguing that poor connectivity and the absence of an outer ring road had left the area underserved in terms of public transport. “We feel our area has been given step-motherly treatment when it comes to public transport and connectivity, so the Metro project is essential,” Maithali Manakwad, a Wanowrie resident, said.The demand for extending Metro services to Kondhwa and Yewalewadi was also raised during the recent monsoon session by MLC Yogesh Tilekar, who highlighted worsening congestion and rapid population growth in the southern parts of Pune.
