India, June 18 -- The long-awaited Pune-Nashik railway project received a major boost on Wednesday, with Union railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announcing that the detailed project report (DPR) for the revised corridor has been completed and the railways will proceed with the new alignment connecting Pune, Ahilyanagar, Sainagar Shirdi and Nashik.

Addressing the media in Pune, Vaishnaw said technical studies had found a direct Pune-Nashik alignment unfeasible. The railways has therefore finalised an alternative route that will offer nearly the same travel time at about one-third of the cost of the originally proposed corridor.

"The new route will also serve a larger population and generate greater economic opportunities," Vaishnaw said....