RailEnquiry

PUNE: The last time Pune did not figure in the railway budget was in the year 2005. And it slipped from the voluminous budget file once again on Tuesday when the railway minister did not even make a passing mention of the city awaiting new trains and better connectivity . However, the budget fine print lists some indirect benefits , mainly two new trains that will go via Pune.The two trains -- a weekly train between Mumbai and Hubli (to go via Pune,Miraj) and another between Mumbai and Solapur -- will be operated six days a week. There are already two intercity trains between Pune and Solapur, there are already two intercity trains, one of which was announced in the budget in July 2009. Some of the other indirect benefits include increase in frequency of trains between Vishakapatnam and Lokmanya Tilak terminus (22819/22820) from two days to seven days,and extension of train between Mumbai and Latur (22107/22108) to Nanded. Both these trains go via Pune. While the railway minister has made an announcement about a new bi-weekly train between Mumbai and Kakinada (in Andhra Pradesh), it is not clear whether the train will go via Pune or take the Manmad-Aurangabad-Secunderabad route. While the railways have also proposed to start a new train between Kurla and Shivajinagar, this too does not figure in the budget's list of new trains.

In the last seven years, Pune has got as many as 16 trains. Senior railway officials of the central railways had clearly said in December, 2012, that there was no possibility of any new trains starting from Pune as it is already overburdened with existing operations . While railway commuter groups have been demanding new trains,particularly additional trains between Pune and Delhi,as well as trains starting from Pune to destinations such as Chennai and Bengaluru, there was little hope from the railway budget this year. Instead, the expectations were more about improvement of infrastructural facilities at the station,which too were not met.

While the railways have planned to develop new terminals at Hadapsar and Shivajinagar to reduce passenger burden at Pune, there was no mention about these proposals in the budget. Another proposal seeking was about providing worldclass facilities at the station, (as was announced in the 2009 budget ), but there was no mention made in this year's budget.

Interestingly,the railway minister on Tuesday made an announcement about a new line survey between Jejuri and Saswad. Both these important towns,one of which is a major pilgrim centre, are in Pune district.The budget however does not mention the status of construction of a new line between Pune and Nashik. The state government has agreed to share 50 % of the cost of the project which is yet to be approved by the planning commission.