Pune: 15 Villages Oppose Talegaon–Uruli Kanchan Railway Line; Locals Demand Halt, Threaten Drastic Measures Over Land Acquisition

Pimpri-Chinchwad: The proposed railway bypass line recently announced by Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar is being tremendously opposed by the residents living in villages along the proposed line. This included villagers from Kuruli and Dehu Road, mainly, as they have formed action committees against the proposed transport network, saying they don't want to sell their lands, and the project plan must be changed.

The residents of Sangurdi, Nighoje, Moi, Kuruli, Rase, Chimbali, Solu, Dhanore, Golegaon, Alandi from Khed Tehsil, and Indori, Malwadi from Maval Tehsil of Pune District have submitted requests to local authorities seeking the cancellation of the project or changes in the plans, as they don't want this railway line to ruin their farms and homes.

What's The Project & Its Importance?

Maharashtra DCM and Pune District's Guardian Minister Ajit Pawar, who is advocating heavily for this railway line, announced the project a few months ago. Indian Railways is also involved in this plan, as they have prepared a Detailed Project Report (DPR) and have submitted it to the state and central governments for approval. The railway line will connect Talegaon Dabhade in Maval Tehsil and Uruli Kanchan in Haveli Tehsil (south of Pune city) and is planned to pass through major industrial estates, including Chakan and Ranjangaon, along the way.

According to officials from the Indian Railways, the line will run parallel to Pune's planned Ring Road and will have a total length of 70-80 km. A total of nine new stations have been confirmed in this, which include New Talegaon, Varale, Sant Tukaram Maharaj (Dehu), Kuruli, Sant Dnyaneshwar Maharaj (near Alandi), Wagholi, Kolwadi, Kunjirwadi, and Uruli (bypass) railway stations. Officials cite traffic decongestion in industrial areas, industrial boost, urban development, and regional connectivity as the reasons for this railway line.

Why Are Residents Opposing This Line?

The residents of over 15 villages have opposed this project, saying enough of their land has been sacrificed for a developmental project. Action Committees have been formed opposing the proposed plan. The villagers have until now met the Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Ramdas Athawale, Shirur MP Dr Amol Kolhe, Baramati MP Supriya Sule, local MLAs Babaji Kamble and Sunil Shelke, NCP-SP Chief and Former Union Minister Sharad Pawar, and others. Soon, the committee looks forward to securing a meeting with Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and DCM Ajit Pawar. However, sources told The Free Press Journal that Pawar has reportedly been dodging the meeting for months, as he is the one championing the railway line.

Reasons For Opposition Include:

- The proposed railway line passes directly through residential zones in Dehu, Kuruli, and other areas.

- Residents claim the land acquisition survey for this project happened in 2023 via satellite, and it showed open land then. But now houses and warehouses have come up due to Chakan MIDC’s growth.

- Around 70–80% of Kuruli village could be displaced, affecting homes and livelihoods.

- Residents suggest shifting the route to the other side of Chakan through open or forest land.

- The area already hosts major projects like the Pune–Nashik Highway, MIDC, and Ring Road, where the locals have given land.

- Kuruli has a Dalit settlement on ancestral land, and locals refuse to give up their inherited property due to sentimental value, which no financial compensation can match.

Residents' Opposition: ‘Don't Loot Our Lands Anymore'

Speaking to The FPJ, Tarkeshwar Kamble, secretary of the Talegaon-Uruli Kanchan Railway Project Opposition Movement Committee, said, “We completely oppose this railway line project. We have planned multiple protests. When the railway survey happened for land acquisition, the area was open and empty, but now, people's lives depend on the businesses and jobs the area provides. The railways might give us temporary compensations, but how do we revive the current consistent source of income we have developed? Also, everyone in this area thinks the railway line is not at all necesarry.”

Gautam Kamble, a resident of Kuruli Village, told The FPJ, “We oppose this railway line. They should change the plan for this at the very least. We have already lost land to the Pune Ring Road and MIDC. We were promised jobs for our children when the MIDCs took our lands, but they did not get them. It will break our homes and farms. Already, enough land has been given. We plan to protest and take marches, meet every leader who can help us to cancel this plan. This is a bypass railway line; it's not needed that much.”

‘Pudharis & Officials Propose Solutions, But None are Concrete’

Shripad Ghule, a resident of Dehu Gaon, said, “We have met every local politician, state official, and railway official who has given us their time. We have made them known of our opposition. However, all they give is mere assurances. ‘We will see, we will find a solution,' they say, but no concrete steps have been taken. The DPR submitted for approval contains the very things we are opposing. Also, is this railway line really needed? I know the implications it has. The railway line has too many complications for local citizens.”

Ghule cited reasons like when a railway line passes through residential or farm areas, Noise pollution from passing trains causes health issues like hearing loss, sleep disturbances, and increased stress for residents. The vibrations affect building structures and farmland quality, and they might damage homes and crops. Safety concerns escalate due to proximity to tracks, with risks of accidents for people and livestock. “Along with all this, the land acquisition process is too complicated. Along with the displacement and life distraction, the government never pays the compensation on time,” said Ghule.

The Plan Moving Forward

Residents of the protesting villages said they plan to meet Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, saying a meeting will be set in the coming days, as he has given his time. They also said they are looking to meet Ajit Pawar, too, as he is the Guardian Minister for the district. With meetings with key railway officials also arranged, if none of this results in change, villagers have threatened to take drastic steps.

“We will protest against the railway line more violently. We will take out marches, go on hunger strikes, and do rasta roko protests if they don't acknowledge our concerns and consider their plan. We won't budge and give our lands anymore,” said a local villager.

A Pune Railway official speaking on condition of anonymity said, “A total of three routes were kept for this plan. According to residents' recommendations and senior officials' permission, we will select the one that is in everyone's best interest.”

Meanwhile, people are looking forward to a response from Union Minister Vaishnaw and Deputy CM Pawar, as both of them have not spoken until now regarding the opposition their project is facing.