Pune Metro to extend to Katraj, Deputy CM confirms

After the inauguration of two new Pune Metro stretches by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, including the Pimpri to Shivajinagar stretch, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar announced that the Metro's coverage will soon extend to Katraj, addressing a long-standing demand from Pimpri-Chinchwad residents.The announcement was made during a Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) meeting at the Professor Ramkrishna More auditorium in Chinchwad. Responding to a query from a party worker about the timeline for the Pune Metro extension to Katraj, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar affirmed the extension and pledged financial contribution from the state government.Pawar stated, For the Nigdi to Katraj Metro service, the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) will provide its contribution. On behalf of the state government, I, as Finance Minister, want to declare that we are ready to make our contribution. As regards the Centre’s share, I will personally go to the Prime Minister and the Home Minister and seek their help. The Pune Metro will run from Nigdi right up to Katraj.The Deputy Chief Minister further clarified that the proposed Metro stretch from Nigdi to Katraj will feature a combination of elevated and underground sections based on feasibility.The demand to extend the Pune Metro from Nigdi to Katraj had been voiced by citizens and activists during the initial planning stages. This extension is expected to benefit daily commuters travelling between these areas and Pune city.Amol Deshpande, an activist, mentioned that efforts were made in 2015 by the Pimpri-Chinchwad Citizens Forum to propose the extension of the Metro from Nigdi. The aim was to include areas like Nigdi, Chinchwad, and Akurdi, which have a significant number of commuters travelling to Pune every day.With this decision, a sizable portion of daily commuters will be included in the Metro service, rectifying a perceived injustice to these areas in the previous Metro plan.