Shri Piyush Goyal, Hon’ble Minister of Railways, Commerce and Industry, Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Government of Bharat and Shri Prakash Javadekar, Hon’ble Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Information and Broadcasting, heavy Industries and Public Enterprise, Government of India will flag off DEMU train from Phaltan to Pune via Lonand on 30.3.2021 through video conferencing. Shri Ajit Pawar, Hon’ble Deputy Chief Minister, Maharashtra and Guardian Minister, Pune District, Shri Shamrao Patil, Hon’ble Minister for Cooperation and Marketing, Maharashtra and Guardian Minister of Satara District, Shri Devendra Fadnavis, Hon’ble Leader of Opposition, Legislative Assembly, Maharashtra, Shri Ranjeetsingh Naik Nimbalkar, Hon’ble MP (Lok Sabha), Shri Girish Bapat, Smt. Supriya Sule, Shri Shriniwas Patil Hon’ble MPs (Lok Sabha), Shri Chhatrapati Udayanraje Bhonsle, Smt. Vandana Chanvan, Hon’ble MPs (Rajya Sabha), Shri Chandrakant (Dada) Patil, Shri Dipak Chavan, Shri Sunil Kamble, Hon’ble MLAs and Smt. Neeta Nevase, President, Municipal Council, Phaltan will join through video link on the occasion. Regular DEMU services will begin from 31.3.2021.
Background:
1. Introduction of trains between Phaltanand Pune via Lonand will help the people of this region in general and agriculturists to reach new markets, students to reach educational institutions of their choice & workers to seek more green pastures in particular.
2. Phaltan is an agriculture as well as industry-based area. Sugar cane, pomegranate, capsicum, okra etc are produced here. Also, well known sugar factories and other companies are situated in the area near Phaltan. Owing to the above produce and companies, there is much movement of commercial traders/aggregators from Phaltan to Pune and other cities. Railways, being the cheapest mode of transport and the direct connectivity between Pune to Phaltan via Lonand will be a boon to their aspirations.
3. Further, residents of Phaltan who are working in various private and government sectors, pursuing education in Pune will get direct passenger train connectivity from Phaltan to Pune & back.