Work on Daund-Wadi rail project to begin in July

Solapur, Feb 16 (PTI) The work on doubling rail trackand converting it in electric line between Daund and Wadi herein Western Maharashtra will be undertaken on a war footing asthe Asia Development Bank has sanctioned Rs 1,513 crore forthe project, a Central Railway (CR) official said today.

Of the total amount, Rs 713 crore has been sanctionedfor track doubling and the rest for electrification, SushilGaikwad, Chief Commercial Manager, Solapur Division of CR,told reporters here.

Tenders for the project will be floated in March andand the work will start in July "at any cost", he said. "Theentire project would be completed in three years."

The railway track between the holy town of Pandharpurand Miraj is ready, he informed. "The first train betweenPandharpur and Miraj will be flagged off on February 28."

Gaikwad said they have suggested five new trains inthe upcoming rail budget. These are Solapur to Ajmer, Howrah,Nagpur, Kolhapur to Hyderabad and Latur to Delhi.