Nashik: A major development has taken place that will prove crucial for lakhs of commuters from Nashik and North Maharashtra. The Central Railway Administration has given formal approval for constructing two new railway lines, each on the Manmad–Kasara and Kasara–Mumbai routes.
This decision will finally resolve the long-pending issue of “slot unavailability,” which had stalled the introduction of Nashik–Mumbai local trains and several new services. Identifying the root cause of the problem, MP Rajabhau Waje’s firm and persistent follow-up appears to have yielded success.
Efforts were underway to start the Nashik–Mumbai local service as well as to increase the number of new express and passenger trains, but the railway administration consistently highlighted “non-availability of slots” as the primary challenge. After studying the situation thoroughly, MP Rajabhau Waje clearly identified the actual root cause—insufficient railway line capacity.
The existing tracks leading into the Mumbai division are extremely congested, causing multiple trains to remain stuck for hours, restricting up-down frequency, increasing freight train traffic, and putting heavy pressure on the signalling system.
This made it nearly impossible to implement new services. Considering this reality, Waje strongly and consistently demanded the construction of two additional dedicated railway lines on the two crucial corridors—Manmad–Kasara and Kasara–Mumbai. This pursuit has now achieved major success, as the Railway Ministry has approved the construction of new double rail lines on both routes.
With the approval of these new lines, the Nashik–Mumbai local project is now highly likely to receive practical momentum. This public-centric project, which had been pending for several years due to technical reasons, is now moving closer to implementation. Waje had raised the issue firmly through meetings at the ministry, questions in the Lok Sabha, and continuous written proposals.
Benefits of the Project
Easier to increase the number of trains
Required slots for local train services will become available
Freight train movement can be shifted to dedicated tracks
Mumbai–Nashik–Manmad railway traffic will become safer, faster, and more punctual
A clear path for Nashik–Mumbai local services
“First of all, heartfelt thanks to the government. Now that the new lines have been approved, I will pursue the implementation phase aggressively. Most importantly, I am committed to ensuring that no injustice is done to local farmers during the land acquisition process.” — Rajabhau Waje, MP, Nashik.
