Pune: The officials are in the process of finalising the realignment of the plan for the Pune-Nashik railway project. The work will start once the same is cleared by the Maharashtra Government, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has said.
It may be noted that the previous alignment of the proposed high-speed rail corridor passed through the 15-kilometer restricted area around the Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope (GMRT) at Khodad village near Narayangaon, which is close to 60 km from Pune, news agency PTI reported.
Scientists raise concerns over the movements of trains
Earlier, several scientists had raised concerns over the movements of trains through this zone, as they feared that the same could affect the work of the radio observatory. “The GMRT holds great scientific significance, having been established with collaboration from 23 countries. Its operations could be hampered by the earlier alignment, so a realignment is being prepared to avoid any interference. Once the state government approves the new route, work can proceed,” the minister said while speaking to PTI.
Importantly, the GMRT works in the frequency range of 150-1420 MHz. It comprises 30 antennas, each 45 metres in diameter. The radio telescope is managed by the National Centre for Radio Astrophysics (NCRA) under the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR). The minister further said that the government is also looking to upgrade the Pune railway station, which will have world-class facilities and four new platforms.
Speaking at an event after flagging off two new express trains, the Hadapsar-Jodhpur Express and the MGR Chennai Central-Bhagat Ki Kothi Express from Hadapsar, Vaishnav noted that redevelopment plans for six stations — Hadapsar, Pune, Shivajinagar, Khadki, Uruli Kanchan, and Alandi are in their last stages.
