Suburban train plan on track

Pimpri Chinchwad: With the overhead electrification work nearing completion on the Pune-Daund railway line, suburban train commuters travelling to and fro between Daund and Lonavla can now look forward to travel directly between the two destinations without having to get down in Pune to change trains.
Rail Vikas Nigam Limited, which is carrying out the work, has said that the overhead traction wires will be energized (25,000 volts, 50 Hz, AC) from June 30.However, EMU (electric multiple unit) rakes will start running on the Pune-Daund stretch after inspection by the railway safety commissioner is completed. This will take at least four to six months.
RVNL officials said that the Nigam has been assigned the electrification work on the 600-km Pune-Daund-Solapur-Wadi-Guntakal section. While the 400km Pune-Wadi line is being done by RVNL (Central Railways) Pune, the Wadi-Guntakal (200km) section is being done by RVNL (South Central Railway).
Officials said the electrification work is being carried out in sections where there are two rail tracks. The work on Pune-Daund-Bhigwan (102km) section was started in June 2008. As work on doubling of rail lines between Bhigwan and Mohol (near Solapur) is on, electrification work on this section is expected to start soon.
In a notification RVNL has said that the overhead traction cable will be treated as live at all times and that no unauthorized person shall work in the vicinity of the cables.
Rail commuters are elated as the electrification work is almost complete.
Many people, including workers from places like Hadapsar, Manjari, Loni, Uruli, Yewat, Kedgaon and Daund, have to travel to Pimpri Chinchwad, Dehu Road and Lonavla daily. At present, these people come to Pune by passenger trains and then take suburban local trains to Lonavla. Also, rail user groups have been constantly demanding that the frequency of Pune-Lonavla as well as Pune-Daund trains be increased.
Gulamali Bhaldar of the Chinchwad Pravasi Sangh said once the train services start, commuters can travel directly without having to change trains.
Sources in the railways said development works will be taken up at Shivajinagar and Hadapsar stations later. Besides, infrastructural works like increasing the height of platforms at stations will also be taken up.