In a move to connect the satellite city of Navi Mumbai to Pune, Central Railway (CR) is studying the feasibility of running a train between Kurla and Shivaji Nagar in Pune.
As per the plan, the train will run on the suburban tracks of the Harbour Line from Kurla to Panvel, after which it will be connected to the line going to Pune via Karjat.
“For the plan, a crossover would be needed from Panvel; the suburban line will be connected to the present line connecting Pune. The plan is to terminate the train at Shivaji Nagar in Pune. Shivaji Nagar is well connected to all the parts of Pune,” said a senior CR officer.
The CR recently started Pragati Express from the Diva-Panvel-Karjat route, instead of the regular Kalyan-Karjat route. With a huge response to the train, CR is contemplating to run more trains to Pune via Panvel.
The plan, which is in the conceptual stage, will be a boon for travellers, as there is no direct rail connectivity between Navi Mumbai and Pune. Currently, passengers have to opt for road transport to reach Pune from Navi Mumbai.
Officials said that the project cost would not be expensive. The railways, after conducting a feasibility study, will
submit a proposal to the railway board. If sanctioned, the train will see the light of the day very soon.
The CR has planned to run the train from Kurla with halts at Vashi, Belapur, Panvel, Karjat and Lonavala. The
travel time is expected to be around 2 hours 50 minutes.
At present, 33 services run between the cities of Mumbai and Pune, of which 21 are daily trains. If the plan is successful, the train might be the fastest train to run between Mumbai and Pune.
Deccan Queen, the current fastest train, between the two cities takes around 3 hours and 50 minutes, to reach its destination.