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www.metrorailnews.in METRO RAIL NEWS -AUGUST - 2025 23Could you please reflect on your journey as the managing director of Maharashtra Metro Rail Corporation? What are some of the milestones that have been achieved under your leadership?I have had the privilege of working on both Pune and Nagpur %u2014first as Commissioner for Nagpur, PCMC and then as the managing director of Maha Metro. Both these metro projects were launched during my tenure as commissioner, and I was fortunate to be closely involved in the initial construction phases. This early experience has helped me carry forward the work with better insight and focus on the future growth of both Pune and Nagpur Metro.For the Nagpur Metro Project:%u2022The Nagpur Metro project consists of two phases: Phase I, 40.2km, is fully operational, and Phase II is presently under construction.%u2022Nagpur Metro has recently crossed a project milestone of 10 cr ridership.%u2022Project Approval and funding for Phase II, costing %u20b96,708 crores, is funded, and it is under construction, and major civil and system contracts having been awarded, and the project is expected to be completed by 2029.For the Pune Metro Project:%u2022Pune Metro is 33.2 km is completely operational, and its ridership has already crossed 2lakhs commuters per day.%u2022The N-S and W-E sections have already been sanctioned by the Government of India, and the work is in full swing towards the Northern extension towards the BhaktiShakti section, and the physical work on the southern extension, i.e Swargate to Katra, will begin soon, for which tender work has been awarded. And last year's Ganpati festival, Maha Metro achieved a daily average ridership of 1.85 commuters for the 10 days with the distinction of 24 hours running with no breaks for the last day, i.e Anant Chaturdashi. Pune Metro holds the unique distinction of being the most digitally ticketing-friendly friendly with 75 per cent of ticketing revenues coming from digital ticketing. For the Thane Metro Project:%u2022 The Thane Metro got sanctioned by the GoI in 2024, and the foundation stone of the Thane Integral Ring Metro Project was laid on 05.10.2024%u2022All the Preliminary works, namely Utility Mapping (GPR), UAV Survey, GT investigation, Topographic Survey and Alignment Design work has been completed and the work will commence soon and it is ambitious 29 km project %u2013 26 km elevated and 3km underground connecting major residential and commercial area of thane, line 4 and 5 of Mumbai metro.Could you provide an update on the current status of the Pune, Nagpur, and Thane Metro, including the progress of Phase 1 extensions and the routes under Phase 2?%u2022Pune Metro Phase I, comprising the PCMC%u2013Swargate and Vanaz%u2013Ramwadi corridors, spans 33.2 km, including 27.2 km elevated and 6 km underground through stations like Shivaji Nagar, District Court, Kasba Peth, Mandai, and Swargate, and is now fully operational.%u2022Phase I extensions comprise the Vanaz%u2013Chandani Chowk extension, which is 1.12 km long and features 2 stations. The Ramwadi%u2013Wagholi/Vitthalwadi extension is 11.63 km long with 11 stations. Together, these two extensions form a 12.75 km elevated route with 13 stations. These routes are natural western and eastern extensions of Phase I. These routes are natural western and eastern extensions of Phase I.%u2022These extensions were approved by the Government of India on 25 June 2025 at a cost of %u20b93,626 crores.%u2022The work is going on in full swing towards the Northern extension towards the Bhakti-Shakti section, and the physical work on the southern extension, i.e Swargate to Katra, will begin soon, for which tender work has been awarded.%u2022The Phase II comprises:1.Khadakwasla %u2013 Swargate %u2013 Hadapsar %u2013 Kharadi%u2022Length: 25.518 km (elevated) with 22 stations.%u2022Total length (with extensions): 31.64 km, 28 stations.%u2022Status: Advanced stage of approval.%u2022Estimated cost: %u20b99,897.19 crores.2.Hadapsar %u2013 Loni Kalbhor%u2022Length: 11.352 km%u2022Stations: 10EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEWwww.metrorailnews.in