Introduction
Suburban rail is an important part of the public transport systems of a number of major Indian cities. Suburban rail is a rail service that connects a central business centre to the suburbs, a conurbation, or other sites that attract large crowds on a daily basis. The trains are referred to as suburban trains. These trains are often known as ‘local trains’ or ‘locals’. Suburban rail networks in Hyderabad, Pune, Barabanki-Lucknow, Lucknow-Kanpur, and Bengaluru share tracks with long-distance trains and do not have dedicated suburban tracks. Chennai and Mumbai’s suburban rail systems include both dedicated and shared lines with long-distance trains.
Pune Suburban Railway
Pune Suburban Railway, also known as Pune Suburban Service or Pune Local Railway, is a suburban rail system in Pune District that connects Pune to its suburbs and nearby villages. Central Railway (CR) operates it. The system has two routes: Pune Junction-Lonavala and Pune Junction-Talegaon. There are 18 trains that run between Pune Junction and Lonavala, and 5 trains run between Pune Junction and Talegaon. DEMU trains also run on the Pune Junction-Daund-Baramati line.
Pune–Daund–Baramati DEMU
This segment was electrified in 2017; however, it is still only served by DEMUs. Since March 2017, three DEMUs have begun service on the Pune-Daund line, while one DEMU has begun service on the Pune-Baramati route. On the Daund-Baramati route, two DEMUs operate. There are proposals for starting EMU services on this corridor.
Latest Update
The automatic signal system is now being installed on the Pune-Lonavala route. The speed of long-distance trains will be increased from 110 to 130 km per hour. It has also been stated that by implementing this plan, the number of journeys in suburban transport can be increased. It has also been communicated that on the Pune-Daund route, MEMU local will be operated instead of DEMU local, and the number of coaches will be increased. Railway authorities further stated that work on expanding Platform 4 at Khadki railway station will begin soon. The Central Railway has approved a Rs 29 crore project for the development of this platform, with the work expected to be finished in the next six to seven months.
The Pune railway division has finished electrification and line-doubling work along the Pune to Daund segment, allowing trains to travel at 130 kmph. The commissioner of railway safety (CRS) has permitted the trains to run between Pune and Daund at a speed of 130 kmph, up from the current speed of 110 kmph. This will benefit a large number of trains running daily from north to south and vice versa that pass through the Pune to Daund section. The CRS examined the signalling system, railway line construction engineering, and other considerations before granting permission to run the trains.
