Nashik: MLA Satyajeet Tambe Detained During Protest For Direct Nashik-Pune Railway Line

On Nagpur's Kranti Din, a fierce roadblock protest erupted in Sinnar taluka, near the Samruddhi Mahamarg, as residents demanded a direct semi-high-speed railway line between Nashik and Pune. At the helm of the agitation was MLA Satyajeet Tambe, alongside MP Rajabhau Waje. Police intervened forcefully, detaining Tambe during the demonstration.

Demonstrators vociferously challenged the police, vowing to persist until the original direct railway route was sanctioned. As protesters aimed to obstruct traffic on the Samruddhi Mahamarg, law enforcement attempted to intervene, resulting in a scuffle. Tambe and several other protesters were subsequently apprehended.

Initial plans called for the railway line to traverse Pune–Chakan–Rajgurunagar–Manchar–Narayangaon–Alephata–Sangamner–Sinnar–Nashik. However, the Ministry of Railways revised the route, citing possible threats to the National Center for Radio Astrophysics’ Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope (GMRT) in Narayangaon. As a result, an alternative path—Nashik-Shirdi-Puntamba-Ahilyanagar-Chakan—was proposed, inciting anger among residents of Khed, Ambegaon, Junnar, Sangamner, and Sinnar.

During the protest, Minister Girish Mahajan liaised with Tambe via phone. Tambe articulated three key demands: 1) The Anil Kakodkar Committee must submit its final report within 60 days, with no extensions granted; 2) The committee should prioritize public opinion over technical details; 3) The committee should gauge public sentiment through public hearings or Gram Sabhas in various regions. Minister Mahajan assured a decision within seven days, promising no extensions to the committee.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had also discussed the matter with Tambe prior to the protest. The protesters warned that the agitation would persist until the original, direct railway route was approved.