Key Points

The 63.87 km project will be implemented by the Mumbai Railway Development Corporation, and it will have 17 stations. The project cost is estimated at Rs 5,100 crore. This project will be developed by the Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority.

The Pune–Lonavala broad-gauge railway line has been in existence since 1927. This railway line was made double-track in 1960. Due to the expansion of the suburbs of Pune, suburban railway services were started in 1982. The tracks between Pune and Lonavala are inadequate to handle the additional train traffic. At present, the utilisation capacity of this section is 119 per cent. In the next 30 years, 285 per cent load is expected on this line. For this, it is necessary to work on the third and fourth tracks between Pune and Lonavala. The currently operational tracks will be used only for suburban services, and the 3rd and 4th tracks will be used for long-distance passenger and freight trains.

At least 30 per cent of the required funds for this project will be provided by the state government, amounting to Rs 765 crore, said the government release. The project benefits will be shared by Pune Municipal Corporation, Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation and the Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority. The Pune Municipal Corporation and Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation will provide 20 per cent each (Rs 510 crore each), and the Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority will provide 30 per cent (Rs 765 crore) for the project.

The Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation has been appointed as the Special Planning Authority for the area of 77 villages in Maval taluka, excluding the areas of Lonavala and Talegaon Municipal Councils along the Mumbai–Pune Expressway in the Pune–Lonavala area. It was approved to take the contribution of the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation in raising the funds required for this project. It was approved to declare this project as an "Urgent Public Project" and an "Ambient Urban Transport Project".

For this project, a surcharge will be levied on railway tickets as per the Mumbai Urban Transport Project (MUTP-2). The amount received from this surcharge will be deposited in the Urban Transport Fund (UTF) of the state government, and a request will be made to the Centre for funds as and when required.

Meanwhile, the cabinet also approved the construction of two new stations, Balajinagar and Bibvewadi, on the Swargate to Katraj Metro line in Pune city and the shifting of Katraj Metro station towards the south by about 421 metres for Rs 683.11 crore. Pune Metro Rail Project Phase-1, a project consisting of two lines of a total of 33.28 km, is being implemented by Mahametro. Line-1: Pimpri-Chinchwad to Swargate (length 17.53 km) (14 stations) (North–South Corridor) and Line-2: Vanaz to Ramwadi (length 55.75 km, 16 elevated stations) (West–East Corridor) are metro services.

Pune Metro Line-3 (Hinjawadi to Shivajinagar) is a 23.3 km elevated metro rail project being constructed by the Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority on a public–private partnership basis, said the government release.

There has been demand for additional stations at Balajinagar and Bibvewadi along the Swargate–Katraj Metro route; representations have been received from public representatives in this regard. Also, the Katraj Metro station will have to be shifted by about 421 metres to the south to be connected to the neighbouring Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Limited (PMPML) bus station. The additional cost of Rs 683.11 crore due to the construction of two new metro stations and the increase in the length of the tunnel by about 421 metres was approved. Out of this, Mahametro will have to pay Rs 227.42 crore to the Pune Municipal Corporation. The meeting approved the raising of loans and ancillary agreements for the remaining required funds.

- IANS