Railway station MIDC: Pride lost in neglect

Raj Patil Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar

Once the foundation stone of city’s industrial journey, the Railway Station MIDC today stands as a shadow of its past.

Exclusively covered by Lokmat Times, the Railway Station MIDC tells a tale of both pride and pain. While hubs like Waluj, Shendra and Bidkin push ahead with expansion, the city’s oldest industrial estate struggles with poor infrastructure, rising thefts and a steady flight of units. Spread across a small pocket near the railway line, the estate still houses over 90 industries, including well-known names such as Grind Master, Bhogale Automotive, and the former Nirlep Appliances. Yet, decades of neglect have reduced the hub to broken roads, unattended litter and security concerns. “We feel ashamed to invite anyone to our unit because the area itself looks abandoned,” said a senior industrialist, pointing to garbage piled at corners. Police records also indicate the estate has become a hotspot for thefts, largely due to its open access and the flow of migrants. Industrialists recall that the estate, once a symbol of progress, attracted the first wave of entrepreneurs to the city. But as new hubs emerged, investment and attention moved elsewhere, leaving the Railway Station MIDC among the most backward estates in the region.

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Railway Station MIDC

• Total land: 34.95 hectares

• Vacant land for new industry: None

• Total companies operating: 93

• Status – No land; not fit for new firms.

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Railway station midc remains stable

Railway Station MIDC, being the oldest estate, faces fewer challenges. Compared to others, Railway Station MIDC has fewer complaints, and we are working to keep it that way.

— Ashok Rasal, Area Manager

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Poor connectivity hurts growth

Our MIDC firm since 1984 says: For Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar to excel, industrialists must gain outside exposure, else talent stays basic; poor Beed bypass–MIDC connectivity, among state’s worst, remains hurdle.

— Sameer Kelkar, Industrialist

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Robberies cloud at Railway Station MIDC

During the construction of the CMIA office, thefts posed a big challenge. Back then, as the railway station MIDC gained prominence and the idea of an industrial hub reached common people for the first time, theft incidents in the area also shot up.

– Giridhar Sanganeria, past president, CMIA