Big boost for city as Pune-Nashik high-speed rail project gets Centre’s in-principle approval - Hindustan Times
close_game
close_game

Big boost for city as Pune-Nashik high-speed rail project gets Centre’s in-principle approval

Feb 05, 2023 11:20 PM IST

Union railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw dubbed the move as an attempt to give the finest connectivity to both Pune and Nashik

The much-awaited Pune-Nashik high-speed railway project has now got in-principle approval from the union railway ministry. The nod came on Sunday during a meeting in the capital between union railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and Maharashtra deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis in which other railways officials were also present.

The nod came on Sunday during a meeting in the capital between union railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and Maharashtra deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis (HT PHOTO)
The nod came on Sunday during a meeting in the capital between union railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and Maharashtra deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis (HT PHOTO)

“I am very very thankful to railway minister Vaishnaw ji for giving us in-principle approval for the Pune-Nashik high-speed rail project. Our meeting was very successful and after the presentation, technical appraisal of the project will be carried out jointly by the project team from the Maharashtra government and the team from the railways. After the technical appraisal is completed, it will go to the cabinet,” Fadnavis said.

Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now.

“Today (Sunday), the in-principle approval we have received is a milestone we have achieved and for that, I am grateful to union railway minister Vaishnaw,” Fadnavis said.

Vaishnaw dubbed the move as an attempt to give the finest connectivity to both Pune and Nashik. “Pune and Nashik are two very important cities in Maharashtra. Both cities have their heritage. Economically too, both cities are very important for the state. Giving the finest connectivity to both cities is one of our biggest attempts. I would like to thank Fadnavis for his efforts. We already had a detailed discussion on the technical aspects of the project today (Sunday). Now we will take this project forward,” Vaishnaw said.

The Pune-Nashik high-speed railway project is one of the key projects that Fadnavis has been pushing even as the railways had earlier questioned the feasibility of ‘at grade’ tracks. With the union railway ministry’s approval, the project will get funding from the centre with MahaRail executing it. Popularly known as MahaRail, the MRIDC is a joint venture of the union railway ministry and the Maharashtra government on a 50:50 basis.

The 235 km Pune-Nashik railway line will pass through the Pune, Ahmednagar and Nashik districts. At a speed of 200 kph, the distance between Pune and Nashik is expected to be covered in one hour-and-45 minutes. The high-speed project will provide seamless connectivity to the industrial zones of Pune and Nashik such as Hadapsar, Wagholi, Alandi, Chakan, Khed, Manchar, Narayangaon, Sinnar and Satpur. “The tracks for this corridor will cater to speeds up to 250kmph and currently, Vande Bharat is designed for 180kmph. Maybe the next version of Vande Bharat can attempt to run on this proposed high-speed corridor,” Fadnavis told Hindustan Times.

Whereas Amol Kolhe, MP, Shirur Lok Sabha constituency, said, “Dy CM Fadnavis has tweeted that the Pune-Nashik railway project has been approved in-principle. Thanks to the union railway minister Vaishnaw ji for this. Fadnavis ji, only if this project is executed on broad gauge will the farmers and industries benefit; we request you to try for this.”

The estimated cost of the Pune-Nashik hi-speed railway project is ?16,039 crore, and it is expected to be completed in 1,200 days from the start of actual work. The Pune railway division had granted its approval for the project in June 2020. The necessary studies for the project had been carried out almost a decade ago, and the detailed project report had been prepared twice and finalised in 2018 when Fadnavis was chief minister of Maharashtra.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
Share this article
SHARE
Story Saved
Live Score
OPEN APP
Saved Articles
Following
My Reads
Sign out
New Delhi 0C
Thursday, March 28, 2024
Start 14 Days Free Trial Subscribe Now
Follow Us On
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news
news