Pune-Nashik Semi-High-Speed Railway: Chhagan Bhujbal Writes To CM Devendra Fadnavis, Opposes Proposed Route Realignment

Senior Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Chhagan Bhujbal took to X (formerly Twitter) on Thursday and said he wrote a letter to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. In the letter, Bhujbal said he opposed the proposed realignment of the Pune-Nashik Semi-High-Speed Railway Line and appealed to the government to ensure that the final alignment follows the original proposal before the state approves its 50 per cent share in the project. He also pointed out that Maharashtra has adopted a policy of providing financial support for railway projects in underdeveloped areas to expedite their completion.

"The direct Pune-Nashik railway line is crucial for passenger and freight transport, particularly in the Pune-Nashik industrial corridor. The revised alignment, which diverts through Ahilyanagar and Shirdi, increases the route length by 80 km and contradicts the original objective of a direct rail link," Bhujbal stated.

The former minister referred to the economic benefits if the project proceeds as per the original alignment. "The Union government has recently approved the Final Location Survey (FLS) for the Nashik-Vadhavan Port railway route under the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEEC). A direct Pune-Nashik railway line will bypass Mumbai's suburban railway network and connect directly to Vadhavan Port via Nashik, providing Maharashtra with a sustainable freight transport alternative," he added.

A few days back, MLC Satyajit Tambe also strongly objected to the proposed deviation of the rail line. "The original proposed route via Sangamner was more efficient. The inclusion of Shirdi and Ahilyanagar will not only extend the travel distance but also add an hour to the journey, defeating the purpose of a direct rail connection between Nashik and Pune," Tambe said.

This comes after Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said the Pune-Nashik Semi-High-Speed Railway Line would be realigned to protect the operations of the Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope (GMRT) — the first Indian facility to detect gravitational waves — in Khodad. Speaking to the media in Pune last month, Vaishnaw declared the GMRT "a national and global scientific treasure" and said the railways were considering two alternatives — one parallel to the Manmad-Ahilyanagar-Daund-Pune route and another connecting Nashik to Shirdi, Ahilyanagar and Pune.