Kolhapur: Divisional Railway Manager Rajesh Kumar Verma of Pune Division, Central Railway, announced that the Detailed Project Report (DPR) for doubling the Kolhapur–Miraj railway track is currently under preparation and will be submitted to the railway board by the end of August.
Inspection Under Amrit Bharat Yojana 2.0
Verma was in Kolhapur on Wednesday to inspect ongoing works under the Amrit Bharat Yojana 2.0 scheme at stations along the Pune–Kolhapur route. While the doubling work between Pune and Miraj is nearing completion, the 48-kilometer Kolhapur–Miraj stretch remains a single line, forcing trains to operate at lower speeds.
Challenges of the Single-Track Section
The single-track section has significantly limited the railways' ability to increase train speeds, add trips, and expand services on the Pune, Solapur, and Miraj routes. This has led to long-standing demands for doubling the line, which have remained unaddressed for years.
Survey and Data Work Completed
Survey work for the doubling project has been completed, and data feeding is currently underway. This process is expected to be finalized within one to two months. Once the route is doubled, new trains from Kolhapur can be introduced, frequencies of existing services can be increased, and travel time will be significantly reduced.
Timeline for Work Commencement
Verma stated, 'After the submission of the DPR, the further processes will also be expedited. Most of the land required for the doubling is already available with the railways. Due to this, the actual work on this route is likely to start by the end of this year.' He also reviewed the work at the railway station and directed officials to accelerate the projects assigned under the Amrit Bharat scheme and complete them on schedule.
Later, Verma traveled to Miraj in the driver's cabin of the Kolhapur–Tirupati Haripriya Express to inspect the route. Senior railway officials accompanied him during the inspection.
