PM Modi Launches ₹21,800 Crore Pune Metro Projects

GG News Bureau
Pune, 3rd Nov: The Pune Metro projects worth around ₹21,800 crore took a major step forward on Tuesday as Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated completed works and laid the foundation stone for new projects through video conferencing. The expansion is expected to improve connectivity across the city, reduce commuting time and strengthen Pune’s position as a major centre for IT, manufacturing and innovation.

Addressing the gathering, PM Modi said better-connected cities grow faster and that modern public transport plays an important role in improving the Ease of Living.

Metro expansion to boost Pune’s growth
Recalling that he laid the foundation stone for the first phase of Pune Metro around a decade ago, Modi said the newly inaugurated Hinjawadi–Shivajinagar corridor would provide improved connectivity to a major IT hub.

He added that the new line would further connect the older and newer parts of Pune, making daily travel more convenient for residents and commuters.

Describing Pune as a centre of ideas and aspirations for young people, the Prime Minister highlighted its growing presence in IT, automobiles, pharmaceuticals, startups, innovation and manufacturing.

He said modern cities were increasingly judged by their competitiveness and Ease of Living, with efficient metro networks helping save travel time and improve urban productivity.

India’s metro network expands
PM Modi said India’s metro network had expanded to nearly 1,200 kilometres across 26 cities over the past 12 years, serving more than one crore passengers daily. He noted that the country’s metro system was now among the three largest in the world.

Highlighting Maharashtra’s progress, he said the state had around 10–11 km of operational metro lines in 2014, compared with nearly 175 km at present. Construction is underway on more than 680 km of additional lines, involving investments exceeding ₹2.5 lakh crore.

The Prime Minister also highlighted the newly inaugurated corridor’s Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model, describing it as an example of government and private-sector participation in infrastructure development.

Push to develop smaller cities
PM Modi said cities were not merely residential spaces but major centres of economic activity. He called for hundreds of smaller cities across the country to be developed as active growth hubs.

He referred to the Urban Challenge Fund, approved in February 2026, which provides for ₹1 lakh crore in Central assistance to help mobilise larger investments in urban infrastructure. He urged local bodies and private-sector partners to participate in the initiative.

The Prime Minister said the next phase of India’s development would place greater emphasis on making its cities among the world’s best, building on investments in highways, expressways, railways, tunnels and bridges.

PM highlights poverty reduction and farmers’ concerns
During his address, Modi also spoke about India’s economic growth and poverty reduction, citing a recent World Bank report. He said nearly 50 crore people had moved out of extreme poverty over the past 10–12 years.

He linked poverty reduction with public investment in infrastructure, welfare delivery and employment generation, saying improved access to housing, water, sanitation and cooking gas had helped families improve their living conditions.

The Prime Minister also expressed concern over the difficulties faced by farmers in Maharashtra due to adverse weather and natural calamities. Referring to assistance announced by the state government and PM-KISAN transfers, he assured farming families of the Centre’s support.

As the country celebrates Diwali, he urged citizens to remember drought-affected families and extend support to those facing hardship.

Concluding his address, PM Modi said collective effort, or Sabka Prayas, would remain essential to India’s development journey.