Commuters who travel on Metro train in Pune city will not face mobile connectivity problem, especially on the underground Shivajinagar to Swargate stretch. The Maharashtra Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (Maha Metro), which is implementing the Pune Metro project, is employing the In Building Solution System to ensure mobile range during the commute underground.

“While travelling through the underground stretch of Pune Metro, commuters will not face any mobile range issue. This is because we are installing the In Building Solution System which will ensure full mobile connectivity,” MahaMetro spokesperson Hemant Sonawane told The Indian Express Saturday.

“Whether it is underground area or in buildings with a heavy dose of E-glass, concrete or steel, outdoor wireless licensed RF signals can’t travel through them which results in poor mobile coverage. To ensure that signals reach the devices inside, In-building DAS (distributed antenna system) does the work of filtering and combining the wireless outdoor signals with other carrier signals. The In-building DAS helps in carrying the mobile signals across a building. For this, a base transceiver station (BTS) is required which is being installed,” officials said.

Sonawane said in the route from PCMC headquarters to Swargate Station of Pune Metro, the stretch from Shivajinagar Station to Swargate Station is underground. “The length of the route on this stretch is 6 km and it has 5 underground stations – Shivajinagar, Civil Court, Budhwar Peth, Mandai, and Swargate.

June 4 marked the completion of the last leg of tunnelling work from Swargate to Budhwar Peth underground stretch of the Pune Metro project. The TBM (Tunnel Boring Machine) Mula II has achieved a breakthrough at Budhwar Peth Metro station. This milestone achieved recently by the Pune Metro signified the completion of the 100% tunnelling work of the total 12 km underground tunnel.”

On Friday, Maha Metro said the work on laying tracks, overhead equipment (OHE), and signalling system has begun in the underground section of the Pune Metro.

“Before laying the tracks, the bottom/lower part of the circular rim of the tunnel is concretized and levelled up for tracks. After that, the concrete base is made according to the width between the two trucks. Fixing components required for truck fitting have to be installed on the track plinth. After these works, the installation of a 57-metre track is completed. The pieces of this long track are transported 30 metres below in the underground tunnel. These works have started simultaneously at both Civil Court and Range Hill,” Maha Metro said in a statement.

Along with the installation of tracks, OHE work has also started. “The installation of electric cables has started at the Range Hill Tunnel. Wiring fixtures are installed while casting the tunnel sections so there is no need to drill or nail anywhere in the tunnel.

The work of laying data cable, OFC cable for the signal system as well as telecommunication system in the underground route is also going in full swing. Also, the work of fitting the utilities required for telecom and signal in the underground route is going on.

Brijesh Dixit, managing director of Maha Metro said, “The work of tracks, OHE, and signalling systems in the underground line will be completed in the next few months. That will allow us to test the Metro in the underground section in the next few months.”

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