The Pune Metropolitan Regional Development Authority (PMRDA) has said that the first section of Pune Metro Line three between Maan and Balewadi is ready to commence passenger services after the Commissioner of Metro Rail Safety (CMRS) approved the stretch for operations on July 23.

The section comprises 12 stations and was cleared for passenger services following inspections, and the authority added that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to inaugurate the initial section virtually in early September although officials have not yet fixed an exact date.

PMRDA officials are preparing the inauguration schedule and are conducting ongoing reviews of the stations and systems to ensure operational readiness; Abhijit Chaudhari, the commissioner at PMRDA, will carry out another detailed inspection and the engineering teams will perform a further review at the end of the week. The authority has also presented proposals to the regulator to seek additional clearances where required.

The authority has requested the Commissioner of Metro Rail Safety to inspect five additional stations, and approval would allow the initial operational route to extend to 17 stations. Line three runs along a corridor of 23.3 km from Hinjewadi to Shivajinagar and the first operational stretch covers nearly eight km between Maan and Balewadi. The corridor is intended to provide a direct public transport link to Hinjewadi, a major information technology and employment centre in Pune, and to improve connectivity across the city.

Trial runs are under way and officials report that trains can reach speeds of 80 kmph, with testing focused on safety and schedule integration. The project, which began construction in 2022, has entered its final stage and was recently reviewed by local representatives together with contractors and engineering partners including Tata and Siemens. Once services begin, the initial stretch is expected to offer commuters an alternative to congested entry roads into Pune.