Ichha Sharma, Pune
Starting August 17, the Pune Metro service has made a significant adjustment to its operating hours. It now runs from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. along both the Vanaz to Ruby Hall and Civil Court to Pimpri-Chinchwad routes. This change is aimed at accommodating the growing demand from commuters, who are increasingly attracted to the metro due to its efficiency and time-saving advantages.
The Pune Metro has been gaining popularity among the city’s residents, leading to a noticeable surge in passengers opting for this mode of transportation. An impressive milestone was achieved recently, as a record-breaking 1,65,256 passengers utilised the metro services on August 14 and 15. This marks an all-time high in metro ridership for Pune.
The extension of the Pune Metro routes between Civil Court and Phugewadi and Garware College and Ruby Hall Clinic, inaugurated on August 2 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has significantly contributed to this increase in commuter numbers. The expanded routes have substantially reduced travel time, cutting down the journey between Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad to just 20 minutes, a major improvement from the previous 1 to 1.5 hours.
The popularity of the newly operational metro stretch is evident, with a considerable count of 96,498 passengers using the metro service across both routes on August 6 alone. The peak of ridership was achieved on August 15, with an impressive count of 1,23,720 passengers embarking on metro journeys.
The new schedule for the two stretches outlines the frequency of Pune Metro trains as follows: from 6 am to 8 a.m – every 15 minutes, from 8 a.m to 11 a.m – every 10 minutes, from 11 a.m to 4 p.m – every 15 minutes, from 4 p.m to 8 p.m – every 10 minutes, and from 8 p.m to 10 p.m – every 15 minutes.