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In a major step towards improving commuter safety and enhancing last-mile connectivity, Pune IT City Metro Rail Corporation (PITCMRL) has erected a 60-metre-long foot over bridge (FOB) at the Wakad Metro Station. The bridge was installed during the late hours of Monday, June 29, following a carefully planned operation at one of the city's busiest traffic junctionsThe FOB connects the Wakad Station of Pune Metro Line 3 to the opposite side of the Mumbai-Bengaluru National Highway, ensuring safe and seamless pedestrian movement.

The newly erected FOB will provide a safe and seamless crossing over the Mumbai-Bengaluru National Highway, benefiting not only Metro passengers but also thousands of pedestrians who navigate the busy corridor daily. Importantly, the facility will remain open to the general public free of cost, allowing anyone to use the bridge without entering the Metro system. Once operational, it is expected to significantly improve accessibility while reducing pedestrian-vehicle conflict along the highway.

The installation posed a major engineering challenge, given the heavy round-the-clock vehicular movement at Wakad Chowk. To minimise disruption, the project team carried out the operation during late-night hours when traffic volumes were relatively lower. The erection work commenced on Saturday night, with civil engineering teams working continuously over two nights to complete the installation. By Monday morning, both ends of the bridge had been successfully connected to the station structure.

Wakad Chowk serves as one of Pune's busiest gateways and functions as a major boarding and drop-off point for intercity travellers, particularly those commuting to and from Mumbai via the Mumbai-Bengaluru Highway. Hundreds of private buses, shared cabs and passenger vehicles use the junction every day, making it a critical transit node for regional travel. The upcoming Metro station, coupled with the newly installed foot over bridge, is expected to provide commuters with a safe and hassle-free connection to the city's metro network, further strengthening Wakad's role as an integrated mobility hub.

Civil works at Wakad Station are nearly complete, with finishing activities progressing rapidly. Station signages have already been installed, indicating that the project has entered its final stage ahead of commissioning.

Wakad Station is among the most strategically important stations on the 23.3-km Pune Metro Line 3 corridor connecting Hinjawadi and Civil Court. Designed as a multimodal transport hub, the station will integrate Metro services with city buses, feeder systems, private vehicles and pedestrian infrastructure, enabling seamless interchange for commuters travelling to and from Pune's major IT hub. Owing to its location at the busy Wakad Junction, the station is expected to witness one of the highest passenger footfalls on the corridor.

The completion of the foot over bridge brings Wakad Station a step closer to becoming one of the most significant transit hubs on Metro Line 3, supporting safe and seamless movement for both Metro users and the general public.

Meanwhile, Pune Metro Line 3, also known as the Puneri Metro, has successfully completed end-to-end trial runs across its entire 23-km fully elevated corridor, marking a major milestone towards the commencement of commercial operations. The corridor connecting Hinjawadi with Shivajinagar has now entered its final phase of readiness, subject to the receipt of statutory approvals and regulatory clearances. The line will be commissioned in phases. In the first phase, the 13.3-km section between Maan and R. K. Laxman Museum, comprising 12 stations, will be operationalised. Subsequently, the corridor will be extended to District Court to facilitate integration with the Maha Metro network.Once fully operational, Pune Metro Line 3 is expected to transform urban mobility by reducing travel time between Shivajinagar and Hinjawadi to around 45 minutes from the current 1.5 hours, cutting commute duration by more than 50 per cent.