PMC approves ₹4,020-cr for underground metro extension
The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has approved extension of the Nigdi-Swargate 5.4-km-long underground extension entailing ₹4,020 crore investment. The Pune Metro line will have three stations — Gultekdi Market, Padmavati Chowk and Katraj Junction, and out of the approved funds, ₹323 crore (10%) will come from the Union government, ₹485 crore (15%) from the state government and ₹485 crore (15%) from PMC. In addition, the state government's contribution towards subordinated debt will be ₹441 crore and PMC's will be ₹248 crore. A senior official with Maha-Metro, Atul Gadgil, said that before finalizing the project all three options about the Metro line were studied and it was considered that the extension should be entirely underground, partially underground or completely over the ground. They came to the conclusion that a completely underground metro will be feasible in this part of the city. He informed that the Metro line will require 26,115 sqm of land, mostly for stations, of which 90% is owned by the government. There is about 6,000 sqm of private land which will be acquired from private entities, and the rest of the land (17,188 sqm) is owned by PMC/state government agencies.
