On March 9, protesters from the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) climbed onto the rails close to the PMC station to obstruct the Pune Metro in protest of corruption and improved employment.
Thousands of passengers were impacted when operations were suspended between 12.45 PM and 2.45 PM, said Hemant Sonawane, Pune Metro's Executive Director (Public Relations and Administration).
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He said that as soon as the demonstrators got onto the metro tracks, they called the police. The protest was about other things, not the metro. The police had to exercise tact because the protestors were on the precipice. The demonstrators called for the media to be called. The demonstrators only left the tracks and were removed by the police after speaking with the media reporters.
One of the demonstrators, Narendra Pawtekar, told reporters while protesting on the metro rails that the average person and young boys and girls should get employment. He said, " Despite spending Rs 10 lakh on education, many are unemployed. In Pune, outside children are given preference; our children ought to be given the same treatment. Corruption must stop; individuals must donate Rs 10 lakh to be admitted to schools. The chief minister ought to take note of this. Although I greatly admire Ajit Dada, the guardian minister of Pune, I am stating today that he ought to consider these things."
Pawtekar also gave out a list of other demands, such as the municipal corporation towing two-wheelers, addressing the harassment of girls in schools, and incorporating historical personalities in the curriculum.