Khadki, Range Hills metro stations on line 1 remain non-operational

While the Pune Metro has successfully started operations on line 1 (Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation/PCMC to Swargate) and line 2 (Vanaz to Ramwadi) providing much-needed connectivity and reducing travel time for commuters, two metro stations on line 1 namely Khadki and Range Hills remain non-operational inconveniencing commuters in these areas.

Khadki metro station is expected to be operational in December with the work nearing completion. Whereas work on the Range Hills metro station has not yet started, delaying its inclusion in the metro network. The administration has announced plans to begin construction of this station next month, marking an important step towards completing line 1. Once both these stations are operational, Pune Metro’s efficiency and reach are expected to improve significantly, benefitting a larger number of commuters in Pune.

Atul Gadgil, director of Pune Metro, said, “We have almost completed the Khadki metro station. In the coming days, the commissioner of metro railway safety (CMRS) will visit the station to check facilities, structure and safety measures. We are hoping that the Khadki metro station will start operating in the month of December. Work on Range Hills metro station will start soon and we will try to complete it as early as possible.”

Range Hills is an elevated metro station of corridor 1 which lies between the Khadki and Shivajinagar metro stations. A senior metro official said, “We have not yet started construction of the station because we were waiting for more residential and commercial developments in the surrounding area. However, the station is included in the Detailed Project Report (DPR) so we are obligated to develop it. Our plan also includes connecting the station to the Agriculture College grounds that are often used for exhibitions and other commercial events.”

Pune Metro begins renaming stations

Meanwhile, Pune Metro has begun renaming six of its metro stations in response to public demand. In the first such change, Civil Court metro station was renamed Pune District Court after which Budhwar Peth metro station was rechristened Kasba Peth. In the coming days, Bhosari metro station will be renamed Nashik Phata and Mangalwar Peth will be renamed RTO metro station.

A senior metro official said, “We have already sent a letter to the state government requesting that six metro stations be renamed based on public demand. The decision was made by a committee formed under the state’s guidelines. The state has forwarded the proposals to the central government for official gazette notification. Meanwhile, we have started implementing the name changes as the gazette process is now just a formality.”