India, Aug. 21 -- The long-pending demand for additional railway lines between Pune and Lonavla has cleared a major hurdle, with the State cabinet Infrastructure committee, chaired by chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, approving the project. The third and fourth lines will be laid with equal financial participation from the Centre and the state.

The Pune-Lonavla corridor, one of the busiest suburban stretches, has for years faced overcrowding and delays. Commuters and citizens' groups had sought extra tracks to ease passenger load and reduce bottlenecks caused by goods trains. Union minister Murlidhar Mohol, who pursued the proposal with both the Centre and the state, said the approval marks a breakthrough for the region's commuters. He h...