Pune, 21st August 2026: Pune’s 5.46-km Swargate-Katraj Metro extension is set to enter a major phase of construction, with four tunnel boring machines (TBMs) expected to arrive in the city in November.
The TBMs have been inspected at their manufacturing facility in Chennai and are currently being assembled. Preparatory work for the underground section has also started, with shaft excavation beginning at Market Yard station on Monday.
A launching shaft near Swargate, opposite Nilyama Theatre, is also being prepared to receive the machines. Once they arrive in Pune, the TBMs will be assembled and lowered underground through the Swargate launching shaft.
Two TBMs will operate from the Swargate side, while the other two will work from the Katraj side. The four machines will eventually converge, with the final exit planned at Padmavati station.
Maha-Metro’s director of works said tunnelling is expected to progress at around 10 metres per day per machine because of the rocky strata along the route. The pace is expected to be similar to the tunnelling speed achieved during Phase 1 of Pune Metro.
The TBMs will operate around 28 metres below ground level, tunnelling through rocky terrain beneath some of south Pune’s most densely populated areas. This makes the underground section one of the most technically challenging parts of the Swargate-Katraj extension.
The 5.46-km corridor will connect Swargate and Katraj through an underground metro route, providing an alternative to the heavily congested road network in south Pune. The project is also expected to improve connectivity for areas such as Katraj, Kondhwa, Undri and surrounding neighbourhoods.
With the TBMs scheduled to arrive in November, the Swargate-Katraj Metro project is now moving from preparatory work towards actual underground construction.
