Deputy CM flags off Beed-Pune train, lays foundation for theatre, planetarium

September 17 turned out to be a historic day for the people of Beed, marked on Marathwada Liberation Day. Deputy Chief Minister and Beed district guardian minister Sunetra Pawar flagged off the long-awaited Beed-Pune direct train service. At the same event, she laid the foundation for the renovation of Yashwantrao Chavan auditorium and for a science park and planetarium project to be built at Pandhari on Dhanora road.

MP Bajrang Sonawane, MLA Prakash Solanke and MLA Vijaysinh Pandit attended the event. On the administrative side, the deputy chief minister's secretary Dr Rajesh Deshmukh, district collector Vivek Johnson, zilla parishad chief executive officer Jitin Rahman and district superintendent of police Navneet Kawat were present. Beed district had remained off the railway map for decades, causing hardship to farmers, students, traders and salaried workers. The direct service, started with cooperation from the central and state governments, ends years of waiting for the people of Beed.

Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar recalled the vision of late leader Ajit Pawar on the occasion. As guardian minister of Beed district, she said she had always prioritised rail connectivity. On September 17, 2025, while inaugurating the Beed-Ahilyanagar rail service, she had promised that people of Beed would be able to travel directly to Pune the following year. She said she felt especially proud, as a daughter of Marathwada, to fulfil that promise today. She said there were plans to start a direct Beed-Panvel rail service in the coming months. She expressed confidence that once the Beed-Parli route is completed, it will connect directly to South India, giving a boost to the development of Marathwada.

Along with the launch of the train, two major projects in Beed city were also inaugurated. Administrative approval of Rs 8.19 crore has been granted for the renovation of Yashwantrao Chavan auditorium, a decades-old venue for local artists. The old walls will be retained while modern sound and lighting systems, sound acoustics, central air-conditioning, comfortable seating and modern green rooms will be built. In addition, a planetarium and science park costing around Rs 28 crore will be built at Pandhari on Dhanora road. The district planning committee has approved Rs 14 crore for the first phase of this project, which will offer students information on artificial intelligence, virtual technology and astronomy in their mother tongue.

At the end of the event, guardian minister Sunetra Pawar paid tribute to all known and unknown freedom fighters who were martyred or imprisoned during the Hyderabad Liberation struggle. As the day also marked Prime Minister Narendra Modi's birthday, he was greeted from the stage as well. The event concluded with a statement that the government is committed to the overall development of Beed district and to improving the lives of its citizens.

The announcement of the train's departure echoed through the area, the whistle blew, and the engine picked up speed for its onward journey. Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar gave away prizes to school students who had won an essay and drawing competition on the theme of Indian Railways' contribution to Maharashtra's development. District collector Vivek Johnson gave the introductory address, while divisional railway manager Rajeshkumar Verma and MP Bajrang Sonawane also spoke.