90 women, many in their 20s, operate Pune’s Hinjewadi-Shivajinagar Metro corridor, India’s first all-women pilot team
Pune has made a significant mark in India’s public transport history with 90 women taking charge of train operations on its new Hinjewadi-Shivajinagar Metro corridor. The 23.3-km Pune Metro Line 3 has become the country’s first Metro corridor to have an exclusively female team of train operators.
Meet the 90 women who made history after piloting metro operations in Pune
The women, many of whom are in their 20s, have completed months of training and passed the required competency assessments before being allowed to operate trains carrying passengers. Their work is part of an initiative that aims to increase women’s participation in a field traditionally dominated by men.
The new corridor began passenger services on 4 November, a day after PM Narendra Modi virtually inaugurated the line. It connects Hinjewadi, one of Pune’s biggest information technology hubs, with Shivajinagar in the city.
According to reports, 90 women have completed their training and received the required certification to operate the trains. Nine women supervisors have also joined the operations team.
Who are the women driving Pune Metro?
The women selected for the initiative come from different parts of Maharashtra and have varied educational and professional backgrounds. Several are engineering graduates who entered the transport sector through campus recruitment.
Among them is 23-year-old Pragati Birajdar from Pune, who piloted the inaugural train carrying Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis and other dignitaries. She belongs to the first batch of train pilots recruited for the corridor.
Another pilot, 23-year-old Prerna Chopade, operated the first passenger service that left the station at 6 am on 4 November. An electrical engineering graduate from Shegaon, she had also undergone six months of training before receiving clearance.
There are also women who moved to Pune from smaller towns and villages in search of better career opportunities.
Vidya Bhure, a 27-year-old engineering graduate from Pendhari village in Nagpur district, was initially working in a back-office role when she came across the recruitment drive. She decided to apply and eventually completed the training required to become a Metro train pilot.
Bhure recalled that her parents were initially unsure about her decision to pursue the profession. However, she said she wanted to take up the challenge. Today, she sends them photographs of herself in uniform, a source of pride for her family.
These individual journeys reflect how the recruitment programme has opened up opportunities for young women beyond conventional engineering and office-based careers.
What kind of training did the women undergo?
Operating a Metro train requires more than learning how to control its speed and movement. Train pilots must understand signalling systems, railway rules, emergency procedures and communication systems, while being able to respond quickly to unexpected situations.
The women selected for Pune Metro Line 3 underwent months of classroom instruction, practical training and supervised driving sessions.
According to The Indian Express, the selection process included interviews, psychometric tests and technical assessments. The training covered Metro railway rules, safety procedures, signalling and train operations. Candidates also had to complete supervised driving before being cleared to operate trains independently.
The women were recruited and trained by Keolis, the French transport company that has been awarded a 10-year contract to operate the corridor.
The pilots work in different shifts to ensure that services continue throughout the day. Their responsibilities include operating trains safely, following schedules and responding to operational requirements.
What makes Pune Metro Line 3 different?
The Hinjewadi-Shivajinagar corridor is significant not only because of its all-women train operator team but also because of its role in improving Pune’s public transport network.
The elevated corridor is approximately 23.2 km long and has 23 stations. Built at a cost of around ₹8,313 crore, it is India’s first Metro project developed under the public-private partnership model using the Design, Build, Finance, Operate and Transfer structure.
The line is expected to improve connectivity between the Hinjewadi IT hub and important parts of Pune, making daily travel easier for thousands of professionals and residents.
The initiative also goes beyond train operations. Women are expected to account for around half of the station workforce, including roles such as station controllers, ticketing staff and station attendants.
The project has also incorporated environmental measures, with around 30% of its electricity requirements expected to be met through solar power.
The 90 women operating Pune Metro Line 3 have therefore become part of a significant change in India’s urban transport sector. While women have been driving Metro trains in cities such as Delhi and Bengaluru, Pune’s distinction lies in having an entire corridor operated by an exclusively female team of train pilots.
