MUMBAI, Dec. 6 -- The Union railway ministry has taken over the long-pending Pune-Nashik semi high-speed railway project and approved a revised alignment that diverts the line through Shirdi instead of Sangamner, triggering protests in Ahilyanagar district. Railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw told Parliament that the earlier alignment in the Detailed Project Report (DPR) crossed Narayangaon, where the Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope (GMRT) is located. The National Centre for Radio Astrophysics (NCRA) and the Departments of Atomic Energy and Science and Technology warned that the line could cause electromagnetic interference affecting GMRT's global scientific work. Citing these objections, Vaishnaw said the original alignment was "not acceptable", and the updated route would have minimal travel-time impact while additionally improving connectivity to the Chakan industrial belt. The decision has been strongly opposed in Sangamner. Local MLC Satyajeet Tambe called for a public movement to restore the earlier alignment, arguing that Sangamner's long-term development depends on being included in the corridor. He said the project must follow the originally proposed route-Pune-Chakan-Narayangaon-Sangamner-Sinnar-Nashik-which would directly serve the region. The revised route connects Shirdi before heading to Nashik. The route change has also deepened political tensions between the Thorat family of Sangamner and the Vikhe Patil family of Shirdi. Tambe, the nephew of senior Congress leader Balasaheb Thorat, is considered an aspirant for the Sangamner Assembly seat, while current MLA Amol Khatal of the Shiv Sena is aligned with the Vikhe Patils. The new alignment places both leaders in a politically sensitive position as Sangamner residents push for inclusion....