A water leakage incident at Pune’s Maan Metro Station has emerged just a day prior to the inauguration of the Shivajinagar-Hinjewadi-Maan Metro corridor. The event has sparked concerns regarding the construction quality of the new infrastructure. Visuals circulating on social media depict rainwater leaking inside the newly constructed station, leading to questions about both the integrity of the structure and the safety of future passengers.

In response to the incident, the Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA) issued a statement late on Sunday night. The authority clarified that the leakage observed at PMR-01 station was not indicative of any structural defects. PMRDA attributed the issue to a temporary blockage in the rainwater drainage pipe situated on the terrace slab of the station’s entry structure.

According to PMRDA, the terrace slab is exposed to the elements, which resulted in rainwater accumulation and subsequent overflow due to the blockage. The water reportedly seeped through a gap between the station box and the entry structure, becoming evident at the mezzanine level of the station.

PMRDA’s Response and Assurance

Rinaz Pathan, Chief Engineer of PMRDA, confirmed that the blockage had been addressed and the rainwater drainage system was restored to proper functioning. The authority reassured the public that there were no structural defects in either the station box or the entry structure, emphasising that the issue stemmed solely from the temporary blockage in the drainage system.

Dr Abhijit Chaudhari, PMRDA Commissioner, had previously informed reporters about the Pune Metro Line-3 project. This fully elevated metro corridor spans 23.203 kilometres and is commonly referred to as the “Puneri Metro” or the “Pink Line.” The corridor begins at Maan and traverses through the Rajiv Gandhi Infotech Park in Hinjawadi, ultimately connecting to Shivajinagar, a significant administrative and commercial hub in Pune.

The overall estimated cost of the metro project, which includes land acquisition and utility shifting, is Rs 8,313 crore. The project is being executed under the Design, Build, Finance, Operate and Transfer (DBFOT) model through a Public-Private Partnership (PPP), in accordance with the Central government’s National Metro Rail Policy of 2017.

Upcoming Metro Services and Stations

Under the concession agreement with PMRDA, the Pune IT City Metro Rail Limited (PITCMRL) is responsible for implementing the project. PITCMRL is a special purpose vehicle formed through a joint venture between TRIL Urban Transport Private Limited and Siemens Project Ventures GmbH.

From November 3, 17 out of the 23 stations along the corridor will be opened for passenger services. However, seven of these stations will initially operate with only one staircase functional. These include Maan, Maan-MIDC Circle Phase-2, Maan-Bus Depot, Hinjawadi Phase-2 Circle-1, Padmabhushan Chowk, College of Agriculture, and District and Sessions Court stations.

The remaining ten stations will be fully operational with both staircases available for use. These stations include Hinjawadi Phase-2 Circle-2, Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Chowk (Hinjawadi), Hinjawadi Phase-1, Wakad Chowk, Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex (Mhalunge), MITCON (Balewadi), R. K. Laxman Museum (Balewadi), Aundh, Sakal Nagar, and Savitribai Phule Pune University stations.

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