PUNE: The Mandai to Civil Court metro line is likely to start operations before the state assembly elections are announced this year and the administration is gearing up to complete all the work accordingly.With this, the metro line from Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) to Swargate and the metro line from Vanaz to Ramwadi — the first phase of the metro project — will be completed before the state assembly elections are announced this year.
MahaMetro spokesperson Hemant Sonawane said, “The metro work between Swargate and Mandai is underway. MahaMetro was expected to complete all the work by August-end this year. After that, MahaMetro can apply to CMRS (Committee on Metro Rail Safety). Once CMRS approves, the metro can begin commercial operations. CMRS will conduct inspection and give its approval, which will take two to three weeks.”
As MahaMetro was expected to complete all the work by August-end this year, it is clear that operations are likely to begin from September. The Model Code of Conduct for the Maharashtra Assembly Elections is expected to be released by October this year. Before that, MahaMetro will be ready to begin commercial operations of the first phase of the metro project.
Meanwhile, MahaMetro is preparing the foundation work for the extension of the line from Swargate to Katraj. Sonawan said, “All the paperwork has been completed. The proposal has been submitted to the central government. Once the metro is approved, the line extension work will begin.”
A senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader confirmed that instructions had been given to MahaMetro to speed up work so that the first phase of the metro could begin operations before the end of the BJP-led Maharashtra government’s term.
