Construction work has begun on Pune Metro’s underground extension from Swargate to Katraj, with excavation starting at the busy Market Yard station. MLA Madhuri Misal inaugurated the excavation and inspected activities along the corridor. Maha Metro has commenced digging shafts to lower Tunnel Boring Machines (TBMs) into the ground and intends to deploy four TBMs gradually over the next few months. Station building and tunnelling will proceed simultaneously to streamline the schedule. Because the entire line is underground, authorities expect traffic disruption to be minimal and road space will be used in some areas only. Barricades have been erected on Satara Road and some bus rapid transit lanes have been removed to make space for station shafts. Works management has planned tunnelling logistics to keep key thoroughfares operational while crews complete shaft excavation and temporary traffic management. Maha Metro has obtained sanction for the Pune Metro Phase one southern extension from Swargate to Katraj, creating a five point four six kilometre fully underground corridor that will extend the existing Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) Swargate line further south. The extension initially comprised three stations — Market Yard, Padmavati and Katraj — and was later expanded with the addition of two more stations at Balaji and Bibwewadi to serve high density neighbourhoods. The corridor is intended to benefit commuters from Bibwewadi, Balaji Nagar, Dhankawadi and Padmavati and to improve access to Market Yard and Rajiv Gandhi Zoological Park. At Katraj the line will interface with Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Limited (PMPML) city bus depot, Katraj?Kondhwa Road and the Katraj Bypass that links to the Mumbai?Bangalore highway. Separately, feeder rickshaw services have been introduced at PCMC metro stations in a joint initiative to enhance last?mile connectivity.