Semi-high-speed double line connectivity Pune and Nashik

Pune: The much-awaited Pune-Nashik Railway line project finally gets thumbs up and green signals from the Railway Ministry and soon a semi-high-speed double line train will come up.

To bridge the connectivity of the two cities of Maharashtra, the Maharashtra Rail Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (MRIDC) better known as MAHARAIL. The cost of this project is for Rs 16,039 crore, for which MRIDC will invite equity partners to participate in the project. Once the approvals are granted from the Government of Maharashtra, the project is estimated to be completed in 1,200 days from the date of financial closure.

The MRIDC approved the project on Tuesday, and the project is finally taking shape from Central Railway for implementing Greenfield semi-highspeed-broad-gauge double line. MRDIC had already submitted a detailed project survey report on it to the Government of Maharashtra.

The proposed new Pune Railway station for the semi high-speed train will have a commercial complex and Multimodal Hub. The trains will initially have six coaches designed to run at a speed of 200 kmph on the broad-gauge line. The number of coaches will increase to 12 and then to 16. The proposed alignment is designed such that there will be no compromising on speed.

This Semi-High-Speed Double line will provide direct connectivity between the two cities of Pune and Nashik. The journey between the two cities will be completed in a span less than two hours and having expertise in the field of Railway Engineering, MRIDC has planned and designed to run the Pune – Nashik Broad Gauge Railway line with the commercial speed of 200 kilometres per hour (200km/hr) with future increment up to 250 Km/hr.

Rajesh Kumar Jaiswal, Managing Director, MahaRail who has already authored a book on high-speed trains and having good expertise on High-Speed Trains has informed: “This project will not only attract goods trains but also the high-speed train will attract more passengers to the route as the travel time will reduce less hours of travelling and journey will save. MRIDC has further planned to develop a Private Freight Terminal (PFT), Dry Port, Multimodal and Commercial Hub, Warehouses and Sidings at suggested locations by the local industries and expert on demand.”

The Pune-Nashik distance is more than five to six-hour journey. Considering the geographical consideration, it exists in industries zone area. This project will generate new revenue for industries by fast track movements of cargo by Railways as important MIDC areas such as Chakan, Sinnar and Satpur will be directly connected by this Railway line. There will be a provision for EMU shuttle also to run on this corridor, as this will also help daily passengers to travel to the cosmopolitan cities from the suburbs.

This railway line will pass through three districts of Maharashtra from Pune, Ahmednagar and Nashik providing seamless connectivity to industrial zones of Pune and Nashik such as Alandi, Chakan, Khed, Manchar, Narayangaon, Sinnar and Satpur. Apart from these MIDC areas, the proposed line will cater to another important Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in Khed, Narayangaon and Manchar. This project will also provide benefit to Tourism and Pilgrimage places in Pune – Nashik corridor.

Significant features of this project work will begin from Pune at Pune Railway station as this train will start from the new proposed Pune Railway station and it will be going to Hadapsar on an elevated deck, from Hadapsar to Nashik the train will run on the ground and will go up to Nashik Road Railway station.