Pune-Lonavala Railway Line to Witness Progress as Work on Third and Fourth Tracks Commences

In a significant development, the approval for the initiation of work on the third and fourth tracks of the Pune-Lonavala railway line has been obtained. Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has granted his consent, and Member of Parliament Srirang Barane has provided this information.

The Union Budget has allocated funds for the construction of the third and fourth tracks on the Pimpri-Pune-Lonavala railway line, with the state government’s share to be provided soon. The project will be undertaken jointly by the Central and State Government Maharail Company, with efforts focused on its timely completion. Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has expressed his intention to hold a meeting with Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav in the near future. Srirang Barne, the Shiv Sena MP from Maval, has expressed his belief that this development will accelerate the progress of the third and fourth tracks.

MP Barne has persistently pursued the allocation of funds for the third and fourth tracks on the Pune-Lonavala Railway line for the past three years. A meeting was recently convened with officials from the State Government, Railways, and Maharail to expedite the work. Present at the meeting were MRVC CMD Subhash Gupta, Vilas Wadekar, BK Jha, Ruta Chigson, and Suresh Pakhere from the Railways.

MP Barne stated that the central government had announced the construction of the third and fourth tracks on the Pune-Lonavala railway line in 2014-15, along with the preparation of its Development Plan (DPR). Provision for this project was also made in the Union Budget of 2017. However, during the preparation of the DPR, the estimated cost escalated from 2,100 crores to 2,200 crores in 2022. Currently, the cost of the third and fourth tracks stands at 7.5 thousand crore rupees, which includes expenses for land acquisition and other necessary work. The Central Railway Department will bear 50 percent of the cost, while the state government and Pune Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation will each contribute 50 percent of the remaining half. MP Barne has been tirelessly striving to ensure the completion of the track construction.

By actively engaging with the central government and demonstrating the state government’s commitment to the railway project, the work is expected to progress swiftly. Maharail has taken charge of the Pune-Nashik railway project, and efforts are underway to expedite its completion through the organization. Similarly, the third and fourth tracks on the Pune-Lonavala railway line should be accomplished with the assistance of Maharail. A meeting was conducted with Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav and Minister of State Raosaheb Danve regarding the development of these tracks. At the time, it was emphasized that progress could only be made once the state government provided its agreement. In light of this, the Chief Minister has consented to convene a joint meeting with the Union Railway Minister and the Minister of State. The state government has entrusted the third and fourth track project to Maharail, ensuring its timely and efficient completion. MP Barne expressed his satisfaction with the Chief Minister’s positive response towards the state government’s participation in the track construction.