New rail line to connect Solapur and Osmanabad via Tuljapur

The line, which will be constructed at a cost of approximately Rs1,000 crore, The will make it convenient for people from not only the region but from all over India to visit Tuljapur on pilgrimage.

The PM also dedicated to the nation the 58 km four-lane, Solapur-Tuljapur-Osmanabad section of NH-211 (New NH-52). The project is part of a larger project for four-laning of 98.717 km Solapur-Yedashi section of NH-211, at a cost of Rs972.50 crore. It will help improve the connectivity of Solapur with the important Marathwada region of Maharashtra and give a boost to the tourism and economy of the region. The foundation for this project was laid by the PM in 2014. 

The section of the NH dedicated to the nation today has road safety features like two major and seventeen minor bridges, four vehicular and ten pedestrian underpasses, besides one 3.4 km bypass at Tuljapur that will help decongest the city. It also has four realignments, 33.2 km long service roads and 30 bus bays.

Addressing a gathering, the PM expressed satisfaction that various initiatives have been taken to improve the supply of electricity, roads and water. He said that speedy progress is being made, be it in Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana or National Highways or Saubhagya Yojana. He complimented the state government for working in mission-mode towards the goal of universal electricity coverage.

The prime minister also laid the foundation stone for construction of 30,000 houses under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana. The PM said these will primarily benefit poor homeless people like rag pickers, rickshaw drivers, textile workers, beedi workers, etc. Very soon, the keys of the houses will be in their hands, the PM assured the beneficiaries.

The total cost of the project is Rs1,811.33 crore, out of which total Rs750 crore will be provided by central and state overnments as assistance. The carpet area of each house will be 300 sq ft. Ownership of house will be in the name of woman member of the house or jointly in the name of husband and wife. The construction of all 30,000 houses is targeted to be completed within four years. The houses will employ green technologies. On the occasion, the PM handed over cheques to two woman beneficiaries of the scheme.

In keeping with his vision of Swachh Bharat, the prime minister also dedicated to the nation, an underground sewerage system and three sewage treatment plants with a total capacity of 102.50 million litres per day (MLD). This will increase the sewer coverage of the town and improve sanitation in the city. It will replace the existing system and also connect to the trunk sewers being implemented under AMRUT mission. 

Solapur is also in the process of implementing core infrastructure elements, under the Smart Cities Mission of the Government of India. The underground sewerage system and three STPs (at Degaon, Kumthe and Pratapnagar) have been developed to address this need. The Degaon STP generates approx 350 kWh Electricity through anaerobic digestion process (generation of methane gas), which is utilised to power pumping machinery in the same STP. The whole system is on Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA). The parameters of treated sewage are much above requirement of MPCB norms.

The prime minister also laid foundation stone of the combined project of improvement in water supply and sewerage system as part of area-based development in Solapur Smart City, augmentation of drinking water supply from Ujani Dam to Solapur City and underground sewerage system under AMRUT mission. 

The sanctioned cost of the project is Rs244 crore under Smart City Mission. This project is expected to bring significant improvement in service delivery and improve public health enabled by technology as a means to create smart outcomes for citizens. The Solapur ABD area water distribution system is unbalanced and needs revision in terms of capital works and better management of water supply and pressure in the system. The new system is being implemented, with an aim of increasing sewer coverage of the town and improving service level.

Union minister for road transport and highways, shipping and water resources, river development and Ganga rejuvenation Nitin Gadkari said four bridge-cum-weirs will be constructed on Bhima and Sina rivers in the district, keeping in view the problem of water shortage. He said that almost all projects in the district are making good progress. Gadkari said irrigation work which has been pending for 15 years got started because of PM’s priority on the area, including Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana. He said that around Rs1,200 crore has been sanctioned for Tembhu lift irrigation for Solapur, Sangli and Satara districts.

The minister said construction of the Sant Dnyaneshwar Maharaj-Palkhi route and Sant Tukaram Maharaj-Palkhi route at around Rs3,750 crore will commence in February 2019. He said that under Bharatmala project 75 km ring road has been sanctioned and work begun. 

Gadkari said there are 38 sugar factories in Solapur district, and 2 more are being built, adding that issues of sugarcane farmers are serious and this has been addressed minimum price and a policy for subsidy to sugar exporters.