Pune: The extension of the Metro route from Pimpri to Nigdi has hit a roadblock as the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) demands compensation for the land required by the Metro project.

The PCMC has asked the state government to ensure that compensation is provided for both previously allocated and newly required lands before they are permanently handed over to the Metro administration.

The existing Metro line in Pimpri-Chinchwad covers a 7.5-kilometer stretch from Dapodi to Pimpri, with the PCMC contributing ₹287.7 crores to the project.

With the extension to Nigdi now in progress, the Metro administration has identified 15 new locations, requiring 4,884 square meters of land. The PCMC had earlier leased key locations to the Metro on a 30-year basis in 2018 for infrastructure purposes, including parking.

However, both the state government and the Metro administration now view these lands as essential for the financial stability of the Metro, pushing for their permanent and unrestricted commercial use.

The state government has urged the PCMC to transfer these lands permanently to the Metro, but the PCMC has refused to do so without adequate compensation.

This compensation dispute has led to a potential conflict between the PCMC and the state government, potentially delaying the Metro extension.

Assistant Commissioner of the Land and Estate Department, Avinash Shinde, stated that the PCMC has informed the state government that the Metro should provide appropriate compensation before the lands can be permanently and unconditionally transferred.