The third and fourth tracks on the Pune-Lonavala railway will get speed..!

Pimpri Chinchwad : The third and fourth tracks on the Pune-Lonavala railway line, which has been stalled for several years, will now gain momentum. Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw will soon hold a joint meeting with the state government on this matter, as informed by Maval Shiv Sena MP Shrirang Barne.

MP Barne met with Railway Minister Vaishnaw and raised demands for the third and fourth tracks, the construction of tunnels between Lonavala and Karjat in the ghat section, restarting the Sahyadri Express to Kolhapur, making a stop at Dehu Road, operating the Pune-Jodhpur train daily, and stopping at Chinchwad station. Minister Vaishnaw responded positively to these requests.

MP Barne has been persistently advocating for the third and fourth tracks on the Pune-Lonavala line and managed to secure funding for the project in the Union Budget. Barne said that around one lakh citizens travel daily on the Pune-Lonavala local trains. Currently, trains on this route run on two tracks. Approval for the third and fourth tracks was given in 2017, and the survey for it has already been completed. The railway department also has land available for the project, but despite it being seven years, work has not yet started. Once the tracks are constructed, both locals and express trains can run, providing economic benefits to the railway. As there is a large number of daily commuters between Pune and Mumbai, work on the third and fourth tracks should begin immediately. A meeting with state government officials should be held to expedite the process.

Tunnel Construction Between Lonavala and Karjat in the Ghat Area: Millions of passengers travel daily between Pune and Mumbai, including office workers, traders, locals, and students. Between Lonavala and Karjat, two engines are needed to operate the trains, making it necessary to construct tunnels in this section. This will allow long-distance express and local trains to operate smoothly in the future. Barne has demanded that the survey for tunnel construction in the Lonavala-Karjat ghat area be undertaken.

Restart Sahyadri Express to Kolhapur: Many trains that were suspended during the COVID period have now been resumed, but the Sahyadri Express from Mumbai and Pune to Kolhapur has not been restarted. This express is crucial for passengers traveling between Mumbai, Pune, and Kolhapur. Since the pandemic, the number of travelers has increased, and there is a growing need to restart this train. Barne has requested that this train be resumed and that a stop be added at Dehu Road station, where thousands of passengers travel daily to Pune and Mumbai.

Pune-Jodhpur Train to Operate Daily: Currently, around ten lakh people in Pimpri-Chinchwad and Pune have ties with Rajasthan, and many need to travel to Rajasthan for business or family matters. However, currently, a train on this route runs only once a week, and it doesn’t stop at Chinchwad. This creates inconvenience for passengers. Barne has emphasized the need for a daily train service between Pune and Jodhpur and requested that the train make a stop at Chinchwad station, which would benefit traders, students, workers, and tourists.