PM Narendra Modi will inaugurate Shivajinagar District Court-Swargate underground metro section on September 29

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will use a video conference to officially open the Shivajinagar District Court-Swargate underground metro line on September 29, according to Maharashtra Metro Rail Corporation Limited (Maha-Metro) officials late on Thursday evening. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) officials, including deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, are expected to stay in Pune for the inauguration, according to party sources.

The first girls’ school in India was founded by Mahatma and Savitribai Phule at Bhide Wada; the prime minister will also lay the foundation stone for the Swargate-Katraj metro line.
Shravan Hardikar, managing director of Maha-Metro, said that the terrible weather expected for Pune was the reason for the decision to postpone the inauguration.

Many residents and commuters are upset about the delay and have expressed their frustration on social media. Public discontent has increased as a result of the long-awaited underground metro stretch’s delayed debut, especially in light of the city’s ongoing traffic problems that have been made worse by the recent rains.

People have questioned why the ceremonial inauguration of the prime minister is required before the metro service can begin.

Kishore Sidhwani posted on social networking site X, asking why services shouldn’t begin only because the prime minister is unable to inaugurate. Since the metro was constructed with the public in mind, it ought to run as soon as it is complete. Prioritizing money and public convenience is a good idea.

Abhiroop Biswas, another user, said, “Think about launching the metro service with a virtual inauguration.” Both the public and traffic will benefit from it.

Many others expressed similar opinions, saying that the metro service—which was built using public funds—should not be abandoned for the sake of technicalities. “There’s already a problem with Pune’s infrastructure; why hold up the opening for a ribbon-cutting ceremony?” said Aniket Sahani.

Following criticism from individuals and political parties, the Maha-Metro administration issued a statement expressing its dissatisfaction while reiterating the importance of safety and readiness. Before activating the line, Hardikar said, “We are working to ensure all requirements are met. We have received a safety certificate with conditions.”

The metro administrators insist that any decision would be made after carefully weighing public safety and weather circumstances, despite the fact that political parties, including the opposition, have been loud about the delays and some have even demanded the metro’s quick opening.

Many are wondering how long they would have to wait for the much-needed respite from the city’s debilitating traffic congestion as the metro’s important underground section becomes unavailable to commuters just as the city prepares for additional rains.