Pimpri: The Railway Department has planned to develop the Suburban Corridor by proposing the extension of the third and fourth tracks of the railway between Pune and Lonavala. For this, the Central Government has decided to spend 50 percent and the State Government has decided to spend 50 percent. However, the state government’s inability to pay 50 per cent of the cost for the proposed third and fourth railway lines between Pune and Lonavala due to the impact of the infectious disease of Covid on the economy has been shown. Due to this the whole plan has failed. This matter has come to the fore after BJP MLA Laxman Jagtap proposed a cut in the budget session.
There are plans to extend the railway line between Lonavala and Pune. Under this, the third and fourth railway lines will be constructed, but for the last several years this project has been hanging in the balance. MLA Laxman Jagtap is repeatedly taking forward the matter to get the railway line ready. He raised the issue in the budget session and demanded that the state government take immediate action to get its 50 per cent share approved. On this, Minister of State for Urban Development, Relief and Rehabilitation Prajakat Tanpure gave a written reply. In this, the information about showing red signal by the state government for this important scheme has come to the fore.
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Minister of State Prajakat Tanpure gave a written reply
The Minister of State, in his written reply, has said that Rs 800 crore was included in the Pink Book of the Union Budget for the financial year 2015-16 for the construction of the third railway line between Pune and Lonavala. Also, Rs 943.60 crore has been approved for this route. The work of this project was awarded to the Mumbai Railway Development Corporation by the Railway Board on 11 December 2015. Subsequently, on 27 May 2016, the Railway Board announced the name of the Mumbai Railway Development Corporation as the project implementation body for the fourth railway line between Pune and Lonavala. After that, the work of the third and fourth suburban rail line between Pune-Lonavala was included in the Pink Book in the Union Budget for the financial year 2017-18.
The work was entrusted to Mumbai Railway Development Corporation
The work on both these projects was entrusted to the Mumbai Railway Development Corporation. Instructions were also given to update the detailed project report and submit the report on suburban transport and commercial development. Subsequently, the Managing Director of Mumbai Railway Development Corporation submitted a proposal to the State Government on 29 December 2015. In this, the General Manager of Central Railway has approved to start the work of 3rd and 4th suburban railway line between Pune and Lonavala with the participation of Ministry of Railways and Government of Maharashtra. Thereafter the State Government will consider the cost of providing free and nominal rent in 50% of the state as well as the Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation, Pune Metropolitan Development Authority (PMRDA), Pimpri-Chinchwad Navnagar Development Authority, Maharashtra. The State Government has in-principle sanctioned the third and fourth suburban railway lines, subject to financial contribution through the State Road Development Corporation.
Instructions not to propose new schemes due to Corona
On 23 February 2016, the then Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis informed the Railway Ministry about this. The department has directed the State Planning Department not to spend on any new scheme after submission of the proposal and not to propose new schemes due to the impact of the infectious disease of COVID-19 on the economy. Due to the above reply given by the Minister of State for Urban Development on the suggestion of MLA Laxman Jagtap to cut, it was evident that the State Government was unable to pay 50% of the cost of construction of the 3rd and 4th suburban railway line between Pune and Lonavala. Therefore, it is almost clear that the plans for the expansion of these two railway lines hang in limbo for the next few years. Both the suburban railway lines are life-saving for citizens of rural areas up to Pune and Pimpri-Chinchvad as well as Lonavala. The problem of traffic jams in the cities will also be reduced. Therefore, MLA Laxman Jagtap said that the state government would make constant efforts to provide 50 per cent of its share for these two suburban railway lines immediately.