Pune Metro Leases Train to Patna Metro Amid Political Row

The Maha Metro Rail Corporation has leased a reserve train set of the Pune Metro to the Patna Metro Rail Corporation for a period of three years. The train set has been leased to Patna at a cost of Rs 14.85 crore, including transport and other charges, informed Maha Metro spokesperson Hemant Sonawane. The train set left from Pune to Patna on July 11-12 by road.

The Maharashtra Pradesh Youth Congress Youth Congress has termed this move as a “politically motivated diversion of resources” from Maharashtra to Bihar, allegedly for electoral gains ahead of the upcoming Bihar assembly elections. However, Maha Metro officials denied these allegations by saying that 9 more spare train sets are available with Pune. They also said that such transfers were routine, and Pune Metro itself had received a train set from Hyderabad during its initial days.

Prathamesh Abnave, General Secretary of the Maharashtra Pradesh Youth Congress, said, “Commuters in Pune are struggling with long wait times and overcrowded trains. Diverting the city’s only reserved metro rake to another state without public or political consultation is unacceptable.”

He alleged that the move is politically timed to ensure Patna Metro’s symbolic launch before Bihar’s elections, aiming to gain mileage for the ruling parties.

Abnave questioned whether Pune’s MP, MLAs, or the Guardian Minister were informed or consulted prior to this transfer. He also said that if the decision was not reversed, the Congress would protest at the Maha Metro office in Pune.

Shravan Hardikar, Managing Director of Maha Metro, denied allegations that the move was politically motivated.

He told The Indian Express, “Nothing is politically motivated. It is basically putting the resources at proper value. We are supplying an adequate number of trains to the citizens of Pune. We are also working on increasing the frequency in Pune. One train per-se does not add to any additional frequency.”

Pune Metro has ordered a total of 34 train sets, out of which 33 have been delivered by the manufacturer.

With 1 train set being sent to Patna Metro, Pune Metro is left with 32 train sets, out of which 23 are used in daily operations and 9 are spare.

A statement shared by Sonawane said, “At present at peak-time trains are occupied with 60% of its total capacity. With the spare fleet Pune Metro can run services at every 6 min without affecting spare train sets and train sets kept for maintenance. Further efforts are on to reduce headway to 5 min. Pune Metro spared 1 train set to Patna Metro to earn from leasing. Had it been put into service it would have earned less than we are getting, besides its maintenance cost.”