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Pune Metro Line 3 to Be Operated by All-Women Pilot Team as Keolis Takes Charge

Training and trial runs position the 23 km HinjawadiShivajinagar corridor for an early‑2026 start.

Overview

  • Pune IT City Metro Rail Limited has signed a 10-year operations contract with Keolis that will see every Line 3 train driven by women pilots.
  • A dedicated team of 100 women has completed a three‑month programme that includes 200 km of supervised driving in day and night conditions.
  • Women pilots have executed four trial runs between Maan Depot and Balewadi Stadium, with the most recent conducted on August 28.
  • Project completion on the elevated, roughly 23 km corridor is reported at over 90%, with commercial operations expected early next year.
  • The line is being delivered via a PMRDA‑awarded PPP to the Tata–Siemens consortium and operated by PITCMRL on a DBFOT model under a 35‑year concession, and it is billed as the first Indian metro line to be staffed exclusively by women pilots.