In an important notification to its users, Pune Metro took to its official X (formerly Twitter) handle to inform that payment via Unified Payments Interface (UPI) will not be available on Saturday, July 13, from 9:30am to 12:45pm, due to the upgradation of HDFC's banking system.
Pune Metro has advised passengers to buy tickets using cash or bank debit/credit cards. Passengers can also use their One Pune Card/Vidyarthi Pass (NCMC) cards for travel. However, during this period, top-ups for the One Pune Card and Vidyarthi Pass will also not be available via UPI payment. "Please plan in advance and use an alternate mode of payment. We apologise for the inconvenience caused," Pune Metro added.
Meanwhile, Pune Metro has quickly become one of the leading modes of transport for Punekars. In June, 29.24 lakh passengers travelled on the metro, the highest monthly number so far. In May, it was 26.16 lakh, in April, 23.81 lakh, and in March, 22.58 lakh.
Additionally, work on the PCMC-Nigdi stretch of the Pune Metro commenced recently. The work on the elevated viaduct, spanning 4.519 km from PCMC to Nigdi (Bhakti Shakti) on the North-South Corridor of the Pune Metro Rail Project, has been awarded to Rail Vikas Nigam Ltd. (RVNL) for ₹339 crore. The project is set to be completed in 130 weeks and will feature four stations: Chinchwad, Akurdi, Nigdi, and Bhakti-Shakti. This extension is a logical continuation of Corridor-1 of the Pune Metro Phase-1, aiming to enhance public transport usage and increase ridership.
