NITI Aayog Approves Pune-Nashik Semi High-Speed Railway Line
Mumbai, 30th April 2022: Minister of State for Railways Raosaheb Danve informed on Friday that the Pune-Nashik Semi High-Speed Railway has been approved by the NITI Aayog. As a result, the project has gained momentum and will go to the Union Cabinet for final approval. Land acquisition and other processes have also started after the project has already received approval from the state government as well as the Railway Board.
Currently, there is no direct railway line from Pune to Nashik. Therefore, to reach Pune or Nashik, one has to come to Mumbai and catch a train. As a result, the train journey time is more than six hours. Therefore, the high-speed railway concept is being implemented between these two cities. This route will require 1,470 hectares of land in 102 villages. A joint survey for land acquisition and alignment in villages is being completed. Land acquisition has been done in five villages and they have been given proper compensation.
According to the project, as soon as the high-speed train leaves Pune railway station, it will run on the elevated route to Hadapsar. After that, it will run from Hadapsar to Nashik railway station. The train will stop at Chakan, Manchar, Narayangaon, Alephata, Sangamner, Sinnar and Nashik. The train will run at a speed of 200 kmph on this route. It can reach a maximum speed of 250 kmph. The total cost of the project is Rs. 16,039 crore.
11,000 crore to the state
The inclusion of the railway budget in the central budget has been beneficial. Between 2009 and 2014, Maharashtra received Rs 1,100 crore. But this year, Rs 11,000 crore has been given to Maharashtra, said Danve.
Electrification of all railway lines in the country will be completed by 2023. Electrification of Konkan Railway has been completed. It will be inaugurated in the next few days, he said.
