The much-awaited Pune-Nashik train will finally be inaugurated this month. Moreover, commuters on the Pune-Lonavla section have another reason to rejoice as six new rakes will be made available by August this year to increase the frequency of local trains.

The Pune-Nashik train will run via the Karjat-Panvel route. "We have to start the train before March 31. We have intimated the authorities in Delhi regarding this," said Sowmya Raghavan, Central Railways general manager, at a press conference on Monday.

The announcement about the introduction of the train was made by railway minister Lalu Prasad Yadav in the railway budget in February 2007. The railways have already announced the schedule of the train. It would cover the distance of 291 km in seven hours and 20 minutes.

Answering a question by TOI about the long-pending demand for increasing frequency of local trains between Pune and Lonavla, Raghavan said six new rakes would be available between August and October this year. The rakes would have 12-coaches and would be run on alternate current (AC).