Rail connectivity crucial to Marathwada's growth: NGO

A local organisation working on civic issues on Thursday demanded rail connectivity between Aurangabad-Ahmednagar-Pune cities to fuel the growth of the Marathwada region.

Maharashtra's Aurangabad district is witnessing economic growth and is transforming itself into a commercial hub, the NGO 'Aurangabad First' stated.

"A railway line connecting Aurangabad and Ahmednagar and then moving ahead to Pune and Dighi port will generate massive revenue for railways, as these cities are big industrial zones," Aurangabad First president Mansing Pawar said.

The organisation is seeking an appointment with Railway Minister Piyush Goyal to highlight this issue, he added.

With this connectivity, the industrial areas like Jalna, Aurangabad, Ahmednagar, Pune, Shirur, Chakan, Waluj, Shendra and Kedgaon will come on single track with this connectivity, a local industrialist Prasad Kokil said.

Meanwhile, Member of Parliament from Ahmednagar Sujay Vikhe Patil assured that he will follow up on the issue of Aurangabad-Ahmednagar railway line.

This project needs to be looked at from an industrial transport point of view, he said.

The time taken to travel between Aurangabad and Pune will come down to three hours from the current five-hour travel time, Patil added.