Pune-Nashik Rail Route via Shirdi? Political Leaders Oppose Reported Realignment

Nashik/Pune, 31st August 2026: Opposition is mounting in Nashik and parts of rural Pune over reports that the proposed Pune-Nashik railway line could be realigned through Shirdi and Ahilyanagar, with local political leaders arguing that such a change would undermine the original objective of the project and leave several backward and tribal areas without direct rail connectivity.

Nashik Central MLA Devyani Pharande on Sunday opposed the reported proposal, saying the long-pending project was originally planned to connect Nashik with Sangamner and Pune and should not be diverted to serve the interests of another region.

“Nashik has repeatedly faced injustice in major infrastructure projects. Diverting the route through Shirdi and Ahilyanagar will serve little purpose if areas such as Sangamner and Narayangaon continue to remain deprived of development,” Pharande said.

She said the Pune-Nashik semi-high-speed rail corridor was cleared after years of efforts by elected representatives, citizens and various organisations. Any proposal to alter the alignment, she said, should not be pursued in the name of Nashik.

“If a railway line between Ahilyanagar and Pune is required, those seeking it should pursue a separate proposal and obtain approval for it,” Pharande said.

She warned that changing the alignment to benefit another region could deprive Nashik and adjoining areas of the benefits for which the project had been pursued for years.

Nashik MP Rajabhau Waje said he was aware of reports about the possible realignment but had not received any official communication from the government.

“The demand has always been for the Nashik-Sangamner-Pune railway link. The government should not consider only which option is cheaper. Its responsibility is to create infrastructure that drives development,” Waje said.

He said the original alignment would benefit remote and tribal areas and provide them with improved connectivity and development opportunities.

Meanwhile, the Nashik-Pune Railway Action Committee has intensified its efforts to press the government to retain the original alignment. Committee leader Baban Waje said around 24 days of the 60-day period granted to a panel appointed by the chief minister had already passed, but the committee had yet to see any public interaction or consultation by the panel.

The reported realignment has therefore triggered renewed debate in Nashik over the project’s alignment, with political leaders and activists demanding clarity from the state government and opposing any decision taken without consultations with stakeholders in the affected regions.