Thousands of farmers, citizens and members of social organisations took to the streets on Sunday and staged a roadblock at the Hivargaon Pavsa toll plaza on the Nashik-Pune Highway in Maharashtra, demanding the proposed Pune-Nashik railway route pass through Sangamner.
The proposed Pune-Nashik Semi-High-Speed Railway project has faced several hurdles over the past few months and continues to face opposition. As thousands of protesters participated in a Chakka Jam agitation, urging the government to resume work on the direct Nashik-Pune railway line at the earliest.
Thorat leads protest
The protest is reportedly being led by Congress leader Balasaheb Thorat. Speaking to reporters, Thorat said, “Today is Kranti Diwas, August 9. We are currently demanding that the railway line be constructed through this route. Pune, Nashik and Mumbai form a Golden Triangle. The two important cities in this Golden Triangle are Pune and Nashik. In between, there is the MIDC industrial area and several major cities.”
Thorat further spoke about the compensation paid to farmers for the project, stating that around Rs 650 crore had already been disbursed. He questioned the decision to cancel the project despite the compensation, saying, “Despite all this, we do not understand why the project was cancelled.”
Project faces alignment dispute
The proposed Pune-Nashik railway project is a direct rail link aimed at connecting two of Maharashtra's major cities through a faster and more direct route. The semi-high-speed railway was originally planned to pass through important towns and regions, including Sinnar, Sangamner, Narayangaon, Manchar and Chakan. The project was expected to improve connectivity in the region.
However, the project was later revised after concerns were raised over the proposed alignment's proximity to the Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope (GMRT) at Khodad. Railway infrastructure in the area could potentially interfere with the highly sensitive radio telescope.
The revised alignment shifted towards the Pune-Ahilyanagar-Shirdi-Nashik route. However, the change has faced strong opposition from residents and political representatives in areas such as Sangamner, with locals taking to the streets earlier in the day, demanding that the project retain its original alignment.
The protest disrupted traffic on the Nashik-Pune National Highway, with political leaders also participating in the agitation.
Expert panel to examine route
Meanwhile, 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 GMRT at Khodad in Pune district.
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 finalised by the Ministry of Railways.
As the project continues to face hurdles and opposition, further details and updates are awaited.
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