The Maharashtra government has constituted a high-level expert committee headed by former Atomic Energy Commission Chairman Dr. Anil Kakodkar to examine the impact of the proposed Pune-Nashik Semi-High-Speed Railway alignment on the Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope (GMRT) at Khodad in Pune district.
Panel to Study Electromagnetic Impact on GMRT Operations
According to a Government Resolution (GR) issued by the Transport Department on Wednesday, the committee has been tasked with studying the electromagnetic, operational and technical implications of both the original railway alignment and the revised route that was finalised by the Ministry of Railways.
The move comes after concerns were raised by the Department of Atomic Energy, scientific institutions and the National Centre for Radio Astrophysics (NCRA-TIFR) over the possibility of electromagnetic interference affecting the highly sensitive astronomical observations conducted at the GMRT. Following these concerns, the railway alignment had earlier been altered via Ahilyanagar and Shirdi. However, the government has now decided to undertake a fresh technical assessment to determine whether the original or a modified near-original alignment can be adopted without compromising the telescope's functioning.
Four-Member Committee to Explore Technical Solutions
The four-member committee comprises Dr. Anil Kakodkar as Chairman, Railway Board Member (Infrastructure) Vivek Gupta, and the Divisional Commissioners of Pune and Nashik as members.
The panel has been assigned a broad mandate, including examining the feasibility of engineering solutions such as tunnelling, elevated corridors or limited realignment to safeguard the GMRT's radio-silence zone. It will also evaluate the impact of alternative alignments on travel time, project cost, land acquisition, industrial and agricultural connectivity, and the overall socio-economic benefits for the region.
NCRA-TIFR, Railways and Other Stakeholders to Be Consulted
The committee has also been directed to consult all key stakeholders, including the National Centre for Radio Astrophysics (NCRA-TIFR), the Department of Atomic Energy, the Ministry of Railways, Central Railway, Maharashtra Rail Infrastructure Development Corporation (MRIDC), and the concerned district administrations.
The Government Resolution authorises the committee to co-opt additional experts in radio astronomy, railway engineering, electromagnetics and environmental science whenever required. The Divisional Commissioner of Pune will provide administrative, financial and logistical support, while MRIDC will furnish the committee with project reports, alignment drawings, survey data and cost estimates.
All state government departments and district administrations have been instructed to extend full cooperation to the committee. It has been asked to submit a comprehensive report with recommendations to the state government within 60 days from the date of issuance of the Government Resolution.
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