MRIDC begins work on 20 railway stations on Pune-Nashik rail line

The Maharashtra Rail Infrastructure Development Corporation (MRIDC) has initiated the process for the construction of 20 railway stations on the 235.15-km broad-gauge rail route at ₹16,039 crore investment. The much-awaited Pune-Nashik semi-high-speed rail line aims at reducing travel time between the two cities to less than two hours. The corporation has started enlisting civil contractors for the construction of railway station buildings along with that of residential accommodation, platforms, foot over-bridges, station circulating areas and other utility structures. The work also includes architectural finishing, plumbing and high voltage electrical works, heating, ventilation and air conditioning in connection with the new high-speed electrified double rail line between Pune and Nashik.

The MRIDC is a joint venture of the Union railway ministry and the Maharashtra government on 50:50 bases. The project is expected to be completed in 1,200 days from the start of actual work and will have 24 stations and 18 tunnels proposed on the route passing through Pune, Ahmednagar and Nashik districts. To start with, the construction of 20 stations in the Pune-Nashik line, including Pune, Hadapsar, Manjari, Wagholi, Alandi, Chakan, Rajgurunagar, Manchar, Narayangaon, Alephata, Bota, Sakur, Ambore, Sangamner, Nimon, Nandur Shingote, Sinnar, Muhdari, Wadgaon and Nashik, has been taken up. The project will provide seamless connectivity to industrial zones of Pune and Nashik, such as Alandi, Chakan, Khed, Manchar, Narayangaon, Sinnar, Satpur. The project also includes the development of container depots along the rail corridor, the development of private freight terminal (PFT), dry port and multimodal and commercial hubs.