Plans Move Ahead For High-Speed Rail Corridor To Connect Mumbai With Pune And Nagpur

To reduce travel time between Mumbai and Pune to below 90 minutes, Maharashtra Rail Infrastructure Development Corporation (MRIDC) Limited, a joint venture of the railway ministry and Maharashtra government, is planning a semi high-speed train corridor between the prime cities of Maharashtra.

“The project is at an initial stage and a feasibility study is being conducted. Only after the feasibility study, we will be able to decide a further course of action.” said an MRIDC official.

Also, the National High-Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL), which is implementing the Mumbai-Ahmedabad high-speed train corridor, has completed its ridership survey for the 753 km Mumbai-Nagpur high-speed corridor project.

This high-speed rail corridor between Mumbai and Nagpur is expected to reduce the current travel time of almost 12 hours between the two cities by 50 per cent.

“The detailed project report (DPR) for the Mumbai and Nagpur project will be prepared. Finalisation of alignment is being done and social impact assessment and environment impact assessment are ongoing,” a senior NHSRCL official told Hindustan Times.

The ambitious project envisages passengers travelling at over 300 km per hour between Mumbai and Nagpur, linking cities like Shahapur, Igatpuri, Nashik, Mehkar, Malegaon, Pulgaon, Wardha and Khapri.