Rly ministry positive about Aurangabad-Dighi line, says NGO

A delegation of Aurangabad

First, a citizens' forum, which met Railway Minister Piyush Goyal to demand implementation of the Aurangabad-Ahmednagar- Pune-Dighi Port line on Tuesday claimed the ministry is "positive" but wants the Maharashtra government to bear cost equally.

A Central Railway survey is underway for Aurangabad- Ahmednagar line but the group wants it to be extended to Pune and Dighi Port, located on the banks of Rajpuri Creek in Raigad district, some 170 kilometres south of Mumbai.

In a press release, Aurangabad First chairperson Mansing Pawar said, "The minister said he was positive about this project. It is a necessity to connect this (Aurangabad- Ahmednagar) to Pune and Dighi Port and the state government should contribute half the amount."

He said officials told the delegation electrification of the Aurangabad-Manmad route would be completed by September next year.