The metro project’s predicted cost is now likely to exceed $13,000 crores, up from an initial estimate of 11,420 crores.

PUNE: The expected cost of the Pune metro project has increased from 11,420 crores to more over 13,000 crores as a result of a number of issues, including pandemic-induced delays, changes in the project’s location, and rising land acquisition costs.

V Muralidharan, the state minister for foreign affairs, revealed unsettling information regarding the Pune metro project, which is being carried out by the Maharashtra Metro Rail Corporation Limited (Maha Metro), during a news conference on Monday at the Pune District Collectorate.

At the meeting were Zilla Parishad CEO Ramesh Chavan, MLAs Bhimrao Tapkir, Sanjay Jagtap, and Ravindra Dhangekar, as well as Collector Dr. Rajesh Deshmukh. 41 projects, including the Pune metro project, were assessed during the meeting.

District Development Coordination and Monitoring Committees (DISHAs), which were established to ensure better coordination between all elected officials in the state legislatures, local governments (Panchayati Raj institutions/municipal bodies), and the federal government (Panchayati Raj institutions), met in order to ensure effective and time-bound development. It is a national project that aims to advance democratic deliberation and participatory governance.

“This additional expenditure of approximately 2000 crores of rupees has sparked concerns, with the approval process for the escalated cost currently underway,” said Muralidharan during the DISHAs meeting. Due to taxes and land costs, the price has gone up. As the economy recovers from the Covid-19 epidemic, land prices rise.

“The metro project’s predicted cost, which was first estimated at 11,420 crores, is now anticipated to exceed 13,000 crores. The division of the higher expenditures between the central and state governments, however, has not yet been decided, according to Muralidharan.

Operating from PCMC to Swargate by March

Minister Muralidharan emphasized the Pimpri-Chinchwad to Swargate phase’s completion by next March when discussing the progress of the Pune metro. The Swargate metro station is almost finished, while the Vanaz to Ramwadi metro project has in its last phase. Notably, successful testing of the metro from Ruby Hall Clinic to Ramwadi has taken place. The Ramwadi to Ruby Hall Clinic route will be open in a month.

Between Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) and Civil Court, Pune Metro Line 1 is in use. The final section from Civil Court to Swargate is still being worked on. Work on these two underground stations was delayed because the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) took a while to transfer the land at Mandai and Budhwar Peth to the Pune metro. Officials of the Pune metro, however, want to finish the project by March 2024. Officials from the Pune metro have already stated that lines 1 and 2 (Vanaz to Ramwadi) will be finished by March 2024. Currently, the metro line 2 connects Ruby Hall Clinic and Vanaz (Kothrud).

Source- Hindustan times