**Executive Summary**
This document outlines steps taken to improve railway connectivity between Pune and Nashik, focusing on projects sanctioned under PM Gati Shakti in Maharashtra as of December 3, 2025. It details new lines, gauge conversions, and doubling surveys, providing information on project status, lengths, and associated costs. The report also discusses project sanctioning requirements, budget allocations, and recently completed projects.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Projects Overview:**
* 98 railway survey projects sanctioned in Maharashtra under PM Gati Shakti.
* Includes 29 new line surveys, 2 gauge conversion surveys, and 67 doubling surveys.
* **Pune-Nashik Railway Connectivity Improvement:**
* Surveys/works undertaken to improve railway connectivity between Pune and Nashik.
* Lists five specific projects with their respective lengths and current statuses:
* Nashik – Sainagar Shirdi New Double Line (95 km, DPR prepared).
* Sainagar Shirdi - Puntamba-Doubling (16 km, project recently sanctioned).
* Puntamba -Nimblak Doubling (80 km, recently commissioned).
* Nimblak - Ahilyanagar Doubling (6 km, work in progress).
* Ahilyanagar- Pune New Double Line (133 km, DPR prepared).
* The proposed Ahilyanagar-Pune New Double Line passes through the Shirur constituency area.
* **Project Sanctioning:**
* Requires consultation with stakeholders, including State Governments.
* Needs approvals from NITI Aayog, Ministry of Finance, etc.
* Described as a continuous and dynamic process, with timelines dependent on appraisals and approvals.
* **Pune-Nashik Connectivity (via Sangamner):**
* DPR prepared by Maharashtra Rail Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd. (MRIDC).
* Alignment initially proposed through Narayangaon near the Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope (GMRT) Observatory.
* The Department of Atomic Energy advised that the alignment could potentially interfere with GMRT's operations.
* This initial alignment was deemed unacceptable.
* **Budget and Expenditure:**
* Budget allocation for infrastructure and safety works has increased significantly.
* Budget outlay increased from ₹1,171 crore/year (2009-14) to ₹23,778 crore (2025-26).
* 292 km of new track was commissioned (2009–14).
* 2,292 km of new track commissioned (2014–25).
* As of April 1, 2025, 38 projects sanctioned, totaling 5,098 km at a cost of ₹89,780 crore.
* ₹39,407 crore expended up to March 2025.
* **Project Statistics (as of March 2025):**
* New Line: 11 sanctioned projects, 1,355 km total length, 234 km commissioned, ₹10,504 crore expenditure.
* Gauge Conversion: 2 sanctioned projects, 609 km total length, 334 km commissioned, ₹4,286 crore expenditure.
* Doubling/Multitracking: 25 sanctioned projects, 3,134 km total length, 1,792 km commissioned, ₹24,617 crore expenditure.
* Total: 38 projects, 5,098 km, 2,360 km commissioned, ₹39,407 crore expenditure.
* **Recently Completed Projects in Maharashtra (examples):**
* Pune-Miraj-Londa doubling (467 Km): ₹4,670 crore.
* Manmad-Jalgaon 3rd line (160 Km): ₹2,574 crore.
* Jabalpur-Gondia Gauge Conversion (300 Km): ₹2,005 crore.
* (and other listed projects)
* **Main Projects Falling Fully/Partly in Maharashtra (examples):**
* Ahilyanagar-Beed-Parli Vaijnath New Line (261 Km.): ₹4,957 crore.
* Baramati-Lonand New Line (64 Km.): ₹1,844 crore.
* (and other listed projects)
* **Other Developments:**
* In the last three years, 98 surveys (29 New Line, 2 Gauge Conversion, and 67 Doubling) of total length 8603 Km. have been sanctioned.
* Construction on the high-speed bullet train project has gained momentum, with 100% land acquisition completed.
* Western DFC passes through Maharashtra (178 route Km), and 76 Km from New Gholvad to New Vaitarna has been commissioned.
**Impact Analysis**
**Ministry of Railways**
* **Impact:** Responsible for planning, sanctioning, and overseeing railway infrastructure development in Maharashtra, particularly the Pune-Nashik connectivity project.
* **Action Required:** Need to ensure projects are executed efficiently and effectively, address any alignment issues, and manage budget allocations.
**Maharashtra State Government**
* **Impact:** A key stakeholder in railway infrastructure projects within the state, needing to collaborate with the Ministry of Railways.
* **Action Required:** Provide necessary approvals and support for project implementation.
**Local Communities (e.g., Shirur constituency area)**
* **Impact:** Affected by the construction and operation of new railway lines, with potential benefits and disruptions.
* **Action Required:** May need to participate in consultations and adapt to changes in infrastructure.
**National Centre for Radio Astrophysics (NCRA) / Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope (GMRT)**
* **Impact:** Potentially impacted by railway alignments that could interfere with the observatory's operations.
* **Action Required:** Collaborate with the Ministry of Railways to ensure that railway projects do not adversely affect the GMRT.
**Citizens of Maharashtra**
* **Impact:** Increased access to railway infrastructure and enhanced connectivity across the state.
* **Action Required:** No immediate action, but will benefit from better transport services.
Key Entities Referenced
PM Gati Shakti: A national master plan for multimodal connectivity to improve infrastructure in India, used to sanction railway projects in Maharashtra.
Ministry of Railways: The central ministry responsible for overseeing and implementing the railway projects discussed in the document.
Pune: A city in Maharashtra, and a key location for improved railway connectivity with Nashik.
Nashik: A city in Maharashtra, and a key location for improved railway connectivity with Pune.
Maharashtra: The state where the railway projects are being implemented.
Ministry of Railways
Steps taken to improve railway connectivity
between Pune and Nashik
98 Railway Survey Projects Sanctioned in Maharashtra Under
PM Gati Shakti
29 New Line, 2 Gauge Conversion, and 67 Doubling surveys
प्रव तथ: 03 DEC 2025 6:11PM by PIB Mumbai
: Mumbai, December 3, 2025
The following surveys/works have been taken up to improve railway connectivity
between Pune and Nashik:-
S.No. Name of the Work Length in Status
km.
1 Nashik – Sainagar Shirdi New 95 DPR prepared
Double Line
2 Sainagar Shirdi - Puntamba- 16 Project recently
Doubling sanctioned
3 Puntamba –Nimblak Doubling 80 Recently
Commissioned
4 Nimblak – Ahilyanagar Doubling 6 Work in progress
5 Ahilyanagar- Pune New Double 133 DPR prepared
Line
The proposed Ahilyanagar-Pune New Double Line of 133 Km length for which
Detailed Project Report (DPR) has proposed is passing through Shirur
constituency area.After preparation of DPR, sanctioning of project requires consultation with various
stake-holders including State Governments and necessary approvals viz.
appraisal of NITI Aayog, Ministry of Finance etc. As sanctioning of projects is a
continuous and dynamic process, exact timelines depend upon appraisals and
approvals by various stakeholders.
To provide connectivity between Pune and Nashik via Sangamner (near Akole),
another DPR was prepared by Maharashtra Rail Infrastructure Development
Corporation Ltd. (MRIDC), a Joint Venture company of Government of
Maharashtra (50%) and Ministry of Railways (50%). The proposed alignment in
the DPR was passing through Narayangaon where National Centre for Radio
Astrophysics (NCRA), Pune has installed Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope
(GMRT) Observatory. GMRT has users from 31 number of countries (till 28th
Cycle) that uses its services for scientific observations. The Department of Atomic
Energy has advised Ministry of Railways that the alignment is passing near the
GMRT Observatory and will have potential interference and harmful impact on its
operations. As such, this alignment was not found acceptable due to adverse
impact on the GMRT Observatory.
The budget allocation for infrastructure projects and safety works, falling
fully/partly in the State of Maharashtra has increased significantly in the recent
years. The Budget outlay has increased from ₹ 1,171 crore/year in the period
2009-14 to ₹ 23,778 crore in 2025-26, which stands to be more than a twenty-fold
increase.
Further, 292 km of new track was commissioned in the state during 2009–14.
Between 2014–25, 2,292 km of new track was commissioned, which is more than
three times the earlier period.
As on 01.04.2025, 38 projects (11 New Lines, 02 Gauge Conversion and 25
Doubling), of a total length of 5,098 km, costing ₹ 89,780 crore, falling fully/partly
in Maharashtra, are sanctioned, out of which 2,360 km length has been
commissioned and an expenditure of ₹39,407 crore has been incurred upto
March’ 2025. The summary is as under:-
Category No of Total Length Exp.
sanctioned
Length Commissioned upto
Projects
Mar'25
(in Km) Upto Mar'25
(Km) (₹ in Cr.)
New Line 11 1,355 234 10,504
Gauge Conversion 02 609 334 4,286Doubling/Multitracking 25 3,134 1,792 24,617
Total 38 5,098 2,360 39,407
Details of some of the recently completed projects falling fully/partly in
Maharashtra are as under:
S.No. Project Cost
(₹ in crore)
1 Pune- Miraj- Londa doubling (467 Km) 4,670
2 Manmad- Jalgaon 3rd line (160 Km.) 2,574
3 Jabalpur-Gondia Gauge Conversion (300 Km) 2,005
4 Chhindwara-Nagpur Gauge Conversion (150 Km) 1,512
5 Panvel-Pen Doubling (35 Km) 263
6 Pen-Roha Doubling (40 Km) 330
7 Udhna-Jalgaon Doubling (307 Km) 2,448
8 Mudkhed-Parbhani Doubling (81 Km) 673
9 Bhusawal-Jalgaon 3rd Line (24 Km) 325
10 Jalgaon-Bhusawal 4th line (24 Km) 261
11 Daund-Gulbarga Doubling (225 Km) 3,182
Some of the main projects falling fully/partly in the Maharashtra which have been
taken up are as under:
S.No. Name of the project Cost (₹ In
crore)
1 Ahilyanagar-Beed-Parli Vaijnath New Line (261 Km.) 4,957
2 Baramati-Lonand New Line (64 Km.) 1,8443 Wardha-Nanded New Line (284 Km.) 3,445
4 Manmad-Indore New Line (360 Km.) 18,529
5 Wadsa-Gadchiroli New Line (52 Km.) 1,886
6 Jalna -Jalgaon New Line (174 Km.) 5,804
7 Daund-Manmad Doubling (236 Km.) 3,037
8 Kalyan-Kasara 3rd line (68 Km.) 1,433
9 Wardha-Nagpur 3rd line (76 Km.) 698
10 Wardha-Ballarshah 3rd line (132 Km.) 1,385
11 Itarsi-Nagpur 3rd line (280 Km.) 2,450
12 Rajnandgaon-Nagpur 3rd line (228 Km.) 3,545
13 Wardha-Nagpur 4th line (79 Km.) 1,137
14 Jalgaon-Manmad 4th Line (160 Km) 2,574
15 Bhusawal-Khandwa 3rd & 4th Line (131 Km.) 3,285
In the last three years 2022-23, 2023-24, 2024-25 and the current financial year
2025-26, 98 surveys (29 New Line, 2 Gauge Conversion and 67 Doubling) of total
length 8603 Km. falling fully/ partly in the State of Maharashtra have been
sanctioned under PM Gati Shakti NMP.
Further, Construction works on the flagship High speed bullet train project have
gathered momentum in Maharashtra. Now 100% land acquisition has been
completed. Works of bridges, aqueducts etc. have been taken up.
Western DFC also passes through Maharashtra. About 178 route Km of western
DFC is situated in Maharashtra which is about 12% of overall route length of
western DFC. 76 Km of this project from New Gholvad to New Vaitarna in
Maharashtra has already been commissioned. Balance works have been taken up.
Connectivity of WDFC to JNPT will boost the capacity to handle cargo and container
traffic from port to Delhi NCR.Completion of Railway project/s depends on various factors like land acquisition,
forest clearance, shifting of infringing utilities, statutory clearances from various
authorities, geological and topographical conditions of area, law and order
situation in the area of project site , and number of working months in a year for
particular project site, among others. All these factors affect the completion time
and cost of the projects.
This was stated in a written reply by the Minister for Railways, Information and
Broadcasting and Electronics and Information Technology, Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw
in the Lok Sabha today in response to a question asked by MP Dr. Amol Kolhe.
PIB Mumbai | Sriyanka Chatterjee/ Nitin Fulluke/ Priti Malandkar
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