Pune-Nashik Corridor Redirected via Shirdi, Ahilyanagar to Bypass GMRT Zone
Reported by Amit Singh
Pune/Nashik, 3rd December 2025: The Railways has confirmed a revised alignment for the proposed Pune–Nashik high-speed corridor, shifting the route to avoid the Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope (GMRT) zone near Narayangaon. The change was outlined in Parliament during a response on the project’s status.
The earlier route, which passed close to the international radio observatory, was deemed unfeasible by the Department of Science & Technology and the Department of Atomic Energy due to potential disturbance to scientific observations. Following consultations with the Maharashtra government, local representatives, and technical experts, an alternate path has been approved.
New Route Alignment
The corridor will now run:
Nashik → Sainagar Shirdi → Puntamba → Nimblak → Ahilyanagar → Pune (via Chakan Industrial Estate).
Project Status and Ongoing Works
The Detailed Project Report (DPR) for doubling of the Nashik Road–Sainagar Shirdi section is complete.
₹240 crore has been sanctioned for doubling the Sainagar Shirdi–Puntamba line (17 km).
Doubling of the 80 km Puntamba–Nimblak section has been completed.
Doubling of the 6 km Nimblak–Ahilyanagar stretch is in progress.
A ₹8,970-crore DPR for new double lines between Ahilyanagar and Pune (133 km), connecting Chakan Industrial Estate, has been prepared.
Connectivity and Regional Impact
The revised alignment maintains a similar travel-time profile to the earlier proposal while expanding rail access for communities along the route. The corridor links Nashik, Shirdi, Ahilyanagar, Chakan, and Pune, integrating pilgrimage centres, industrial belts, and major urban hubs.
Tourism Linkages
The route provides direct connectivity to key religious and cultural destinations, including:
Shirdi
Trimbakeshwar
Pune’s historic sites
Industrial Significance
Chakan Industrial Estate, a major automobile and engineering hub, falls directly on the proposed alignment. Rail connectivity is expected to support freight movement and strengthen supply-chain networks along the belt.
Urban and Educational Mobility
The corridor connects two major educational and industrial cities—Pune and Nashik—enabling faster movement for students, professionals, and institutions engaged in academic and skill-development activities.
Multimodal Integration
The minister also referred to the national Gati Shakti multimodal initiative, under which 130 cargo terminals have become operational. Officials from the state government, Railways, and local bodies may jointly examine further development opportunities along the Pune–Nashik stretch.
The revised alignment marks the latest development in the ongoing effort to establish a direct high-speed rail link between Pune and Nashik while protecting the GMRT scientific zone.
