The Maha Cabinet recently approved the proposed Greenfield Semi High Speed Railway Double Line with electrification between Pune and Nashik. The much-awaited Pune-Nashik Semi-High speed Rail Line would bring down travel time between two cities from present 06 hours to 01 hour 45 mins boosting passenger and freight movements.
- The Semi High Speed Trains will initially have 06 coaches designed to run at speed of 200 Km/Hr with future increment up to 250 Km/Hr on the Broad-Gauge line.
- The number of coaches will increase to 12 and then to 16.
- Thus, it will facilitate the creation of the Mumbai-Pune-Nashik golden triangle as an emerging economic hub.
- Earlier MRIDC had received “In Principal Approval” (IPA) from Ministry of Railways on 02.06.2020 and approval from Central Railway on 10.02.2020 for implementing Greenfield Semi – High Speed Broad Gauge Double Line between Pune and Nashik.
Shri. Rajesh Kumar Jaiswal, Managing Director, MahaRail said, “This project will be a role model for development of new Railway Line networks in Maharashtra. This project is unique because it is the first Broad-Gauge Semi-High Speed Rail Line in India and in the world. It is designed in such a way that goods train, conventional passenger train as well as High-Speed train can run on the same route.”
- The entire cost of the project has been pegged at Rs 16,039 Crore (including taxes) on Debt:Equity of 60:40 basis; wherein Government of Maharashtra and Ministry of Railway shall contribute equity of 20% each of the project cost.
- While remaining 60% will be raised from the Domestic Financial Institution.
- MahaRail has estimated to complete the project in 1200 days from the date of its financial closure.
Details of the proposed alignment:
| Sr. No. | Particular | Details |
| 1 | Total length of the Railway Line | 235 Km |
| 2 | Maximum Permissible Speed | 200 Km/Hr (with further possibility of increase up to 250 Km/Hr) |
| 3 | Proposed Major and Minor Stations | 24 Stations with 11 Crossing Stations, 11 Flag Stations & 2 Terminal Stations |
| 4 | Total number of Tunnels in the corridor | 18 numbers |
| 5 | Total Viaducts on the Semi High Speed Railway Line | 19 numbers |
Significant Features of this project:
- This Semi High-Speed Train will start from new proposed Pune Railway station and it will be going to Hadapsar on elevated deck, from Hadapsar to Nashik the train will run on the ground and will go up to Nashik Road Railway station.
- The proposed alignment is designed such that there will be no compromise on speed.
- It is the first low cost Semi-High-Speed corridor in the country with the provision of being synchronised with existing features of Indian Railway.
- Private Freight Terminals (PFTs) are planned at major stations like Chakan, Manchar, Narayangaon, Alephata and Sangamner.
- Also, loading and unloading facilities are planned at various stations.
- The proposed alignment will pass through the talukas of Haveli, Khed, Ambegaon and Junnar tehsils of Pune district, Sangamner tehsil of Ahmednagar district and Sinnar and Nashik tehsils of Nashik district.
- This Rail Line will certainly augment the revenues from the multi-fold industries like automobile hub, electronics, pharmaceuticals, sugar mills and other agricultural activities in and around the Project Influence Areas.
- The passengers of varied travel purposes such as tourism, education, agriculture as well as business and daily shuttles will have ample of facilities to connect with the rest of places through this corridor.
- All the intercity movements and transportation for both passengers and freight will flourish because of faster movement on the Rail Line between Pune and Nashik.
- The project is envisaged to yield tangible as well as non-tangible savings due to the reduction in the number of vehicles being used for transportation by roads as well as certain socio-economic benefits such as employment generation, reduction in number of accidents and reduction in pollution due to the vehicular traffic.
Source: MRIDC-Press Release
