Phugewadi to Civil Court metro service likely to begin from May

While the Phugewadi to Civil Court metro rail service is likely to start next month, it will initially run without halting at the Khadki and Range Hills stations as these two metro stations are unlikely to be ready by that time.

Since it is doubtful that the Khadki and Range Hill metro stations will be ready as per the set deadline, the Maha Metro Railway Corporation Limited (Maha-Metro) has decided to avoid further delay and start the Phugewadi to Civil Court metro rail service next month without halting at these two stations to begin with.

Atul Gadgil, director (works) of the Maha Metro, said, “On the Civil Court to Phugewadi stretch, we will not be able to complete the work of the Khadki and Range Hills stations as the process of acquisition of defence land is delayed. Hence, we will not be able to complete the work on these two stations as per our deadline. So, we have taken the decision to exclude these stations (as halting points) when the passenger service starts from Civil Court to Phugewadi.”

“We have set a deadline to complete all the work between Civil Court and Phugewadi by the end of April and we will also get final approval from the Metro Railway Security (CMRS). Thereafter, we will report to the central and state government, and they will take the decision to start the passenger service from Civil Court to Phugewadi,” Gadgil said.

While the metro service is likely to start next month, the residents of the Khadki and Range Hills areas will not be able to avail the benefit of the metro line between Phugewadi and Civil Court.

The distance between Civil Court and Phugewadi is 8 km. The stations on this route include Phugewadi, Dapodi, Bopodi, Shivajinagar and Civil Court. Whereas the Khadki and Range Hill metro stations are located on defence land which the Maha-Metro is in the process of acquiring from the defence department.

At present, there are a total 17 metro stations on the Vanaz to Ramwadi route. The Maha Metro has already started the passenger service from Vanaz to Garware College followed by a successful Garware College to Civil Court interchange trial run. On the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) to Swargate metro route, the Maha Metro has already started passenger service from PCMC to Phugewadi.