Pune: Correspondent
In a major boost to suburban railway connectivity between Pune and Lonavala, approval has been granted for the construction of third and fourth railway lines. This comes after continuous efforts by Union Minister Murlidhar Mohol. The project received clearance at a meeting of the state cabinet’s Infrastructure Committee chaired by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. The long-standing demand of Pune commuters is now set to be fulfilled.
Mohol had been consistently following up on the proposal with both the central and state governments. While the Centre had already shown a positive response, the state government’s recent approval has cleared the path for the project. The cost will be shared equally between the central and state governments. Mohol had personally met Chief Minister Fadnavis and Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw to push for this demand. With the approval now in place, passengers traveling on the Pune–Lonavala route are expected to get significant relief.
Sharing details, Mohol said, “Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the government has been modernizing and expanding the railway network at a rapid pace over the last 11 years. Across the country, new routes have been added and capacity expanded. With Ashwini Vaishnaw at the helm, the pace of railway development has further accelerated. The Pune–Lonavala route sees heavy passenger traffic, and the addition of the third and fourth lines will greatly enhance connectivity.”
He further added that the new lines will increase the number of trains, reduce congestion caused by freight movement, and improve the speed of express trains. The project will benefit the industrial, commercial, working, and student communities alike, while also reducing pressure on road traffic. Expressing gratitude to Chief Minister Fadnavis and the Mahayuti government, Mohol expressed confidence that the project’s next steps will proceed swiftly and that work on the ground will begin soon.
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