Union Railway Minister of India Ashwini Vaishnaw has assured that the Pune-Nashik high-speed rail corridor is near final realignment. The project, which previously suffered delays due to scientific objections, will now proceed once the Maharashtra government provides its approval. The original rail line alignment had evoked fierce protests from scientists as it cut through a sensitive 15-km area close to the Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope (GMRT) at Khodad, roughly 60 km from Pune.
The new alignment steers clear of the restricted zone, clearing the path for construction work to start. Ashwini Vaishnaw also unveiled proposals to develop Pune railway station and talked about expanding regional rail connectivity, such as the idea of a Vande Bharat train between Nagpur and Pune.
Scientists’ Objection Forces Route Correction
The initial link of the Pune-Nashik corridor had gone through a radio silence area surrounding the GMRT. Scientists issued warnings that transit trains would impair the GMRT’s capacity for identifying faint cosmic signals. The GMRT, situated almost 80 km away from Pune, is among the most sensitive of radio astronomy institutes globally. The GMRT has 30 antennae, which are 45 metres wide, and listens on frequencies ranging between 150 MHz to 1420 MHz.
Ashwini Vaishnaw met these objections head-on. “The GMRT is of huge scientific significance. Constructed with the assistance of 23 nations, it should not be impacted. We have finalized a new alignment that will not cause interference,” he said.
Pune Railway Station Set for Major Overhaul
The Railway Minister also addressed the redevelopment of Pune station as a world-class facility. Four new platforms would be added to deal with increasing traffic and provide passenger convenience. He emphasized Pune’s position as a significant historical and industrial hub.
Station Redevelopment and New Train Services
He gave updates on the redevelopment projects of stations in Pune. He confirmed that proposals for six stations — Alandi, Pune, Khadki, Uruli Kanchan, and Shivajinagar — are at the final stages. These stations will be equipped with new facilities under the broader infrastructure revamp.
He also inaugurated two new express trains from Hadapsar: the MGR Chennai Central–Bhagat Ki Kothi Express and the Hadapsar–Jodhpur Express. These new routes will enhance long-distance connectivity.
Vande Bharat Between Nagpur and Pune in Pipeline
The minister also informed that there is a discussion underway with Maharashtra Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis regarding starting a Vande Bharat train between Pune and Nagpur. The high-speed train would revolutionize intra-state travel and aid economic activity between the two cities.
The decision to realign indicates a powerful message — that infrastructure expansion should take into account scientific assets. India cannot build irresponsibly at the cost of institutions such as the GMRT that provide to the world. The Pune-Nashik railway project is now back on track, but it has taken rational scientific discourse and political resolve to get to this point.
