No approval for original Pune-Nashik rail route, will appoint experts to draw nearest line: CM Fadnavis

However, residents in areas like Sangamner have opposed the shifting of the route, demanding connectivity in their areas.

Responding to a question by Independent member Satyajeet Tambe, Fadnavis said the Centre objected to the original route. “After the Union Government raised objections to the route, I went there myself and made a presentation, but they rejected it. I went a second time for a meeting, where they said the observatory (GMRT) is run by 32 countries, and it is not possible to shift it. A railway line cannot pass through the buffer zone of the observatory.”

“They said the alternate route should be made through Shirdi. Since it’s a fast rail, it would take about 30 minutes longer. Then, for any areas left out, some joints or extensions could be added; this is what their suggestion is. But none of us in the state is agreeable to this route, so it has been stopped,” he added.

Outlining the future plan regarding the observatory, he said, “One route that can definitely be done is to make it with minimum deviation (from the original route), such that there is no problem for the observatory as well. With this in mind, I will speak with the Union Government and appoint technical experts in this field. Will give them time of three to four months, and tell them to keep the observatory buffer zone in mind, and draw up the nearest route, keeping in mind how the important villages can be covered, and make measurements accordingly.”

In January last yearin Pune, Ashwini Vaishnav said, “Shifting it means weakening the most powerful facility of scientific research in India. That is why we decided not to shift GMRT from its current location.”