Pune-Miraj rail route: 16km of track doubling to reduce time travel by 20 minutes
Total cost of the project is Rs 3,000 crore, the work of the first phase commenced last year in the month of March when the ministry of railways sanctioned Rs 250 crore
The Central Railway, Pune division (CRPD), has completed the first phase of its track doubling project measuring 16km between Pune and Miraj railway route which is now operational.
This will save at least 20 minutes of travel time for the passengers on this route, said railway officials.
Pune-Miraj track doubling project comprises doubling of 35 kilometres of the railway track (20km from Pune and 15km from Miraj). Manoj Jhawar, public relations officer, Central Railway, Pune division, said, “Currently, we have made 16km of the second track operational while the rest of the track doubling work will be completed in another year-and-a-half.”
“Till now the trains had to often wait for the clearance of the route as there was only one track. However, with this development, it will facilitate the services significantly,” said Jhawar.
The ministry of railways had announced doubling of Pune-Miraj track in the 2015 rail budget. While the total cost of the project is Rs3,000 crore, the work of the first phase commenced last year in the month of March when the ministry of railways had sanctioned Rs 250 crore.
The first phase of the project was completed in a time span of one-and-a-half-year after the land acquisition process was complete. The project has been delayed due to land acquisition.
According to Central Railway, Pune division officials, the second tracks are now operational on three stations viz. Shenoli, Bhavaninagar and Takari.
“Once the doubling for the entire 35km patch is done, the entire time travel will reduce by one –and-a-half-hour,” said Jhawar.
“The doubling of the track will open new avenues for the business sector in western Maharashtra. The railway does not have a strong network in this region,” said railway officials.
“The region is ahead in economic activities; however, transportation is one of the biggest concerns for passengers and industries in this region,” said officials.