Pune: The Union Budget didn't have good news for the Pune Metro rail project, which is currently in expansion mode.
The Centre has decided to reduce funding for all Metro projects by nearly Rs 3,500 crore. This will bring down the outlay this year to Rs 14,264 crore, from last year's Rs 17,810 crore. Also, sources claimed a major chunk of available funds is likely to be handed out to Metro projects nearing completion.
About 190km of Metro lines are expected to be commissioned soon in Delhi, Chennai, Bengaluru, Ahmedabad, Nagpur and Noida.
Pune Metro rail officials are hopeful they will receive the required funding. "We are yet to get specific details regarding Pune Metro," Brijesh Dixit, MD of MahaMetro, said.
The city's Metro project is hoping to get a total of nearly Rs 700 crore during the 2017-18 financial year. It has, so far, received Rs 580 crore and has spent Rs 300 crore.
Activists said it's unlikely Pune will be given monetary priority. "Funding priority is based on the progress of work. Projects that are in their final stages will receive more money — not the ones that are struggling, or slow-paced," Prashant Inamdar of Pedestrians First said.
According to Metro officials, through 2018-19, around Rs 300 crore will be required for the Communication-Based Train Control (CBTC) system. Also, MahaMetro plans to finish work on a station at Sant Tukaramnagar, along the Pimpri-Swargate line, by December this year. The station is expected to cost Rs 50 crore. Then there's the bridge MahaMetro wants to build, that will run parallel to the Sangam bridge towards Pune station.
