Pune: The MahaMetro administration has realized the need for an additional Metro station at Balajinagar, just days after the groundbreaking ceremony for the Swargate to Katraj Metro line.
This 5.5-kilometer route, which has been delayed for over five years, was officially inaugurated online by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, but the exclusion of Balajinagar, one of the most densely populated areas, has raised concerns.
The initial plan for the Swargate-Katraj Metro line included only four stations: Swargate, Gultekdi, Padmavati, and Katraj. However, this layout overlooked key areas like Balajinagar, Dhanakwadi, and Bibwewadi, which would leave residents of these neighborhoods with no nearby access to the Metro.
The realization of this omission came only after the groundbreaking ceremony, leading to questions about how such an important station was left out of the original plan.
MahaMetro has now submitted a proposal to the Pune Municipal Corporation to add a Balajinagar station, but this comes with additional financial implications.
The inclusion of this station is expected to increase the overall project cost by ₹200 to ₹300 crores. There is uncertainty about who will bear the extra cost, and the issue remains unresolved as the request moves through the approval process.
The Swargate to Pimpri-Chinchwad Metro route received approval first, followed by an in-principle nod from the state government for the Swargate to Katraj extension.
However, delays in final approval stalled the project for more than five years. Despite these delays, the project moved forward with a formal groundbreaking event two days ago.
Now, with the busiest area along the route—Balajinagar—having been excluded from the original plan, MahaMetro is working to rectify the oversight. Managing Director Shravan Hardikar has officially requested Pune Municipal Commissioner to approve the construction of a station at Balajinagar.
