13 January,2012 07:37 AM IST | | Saurabh Katkurwar
Prompted by the railway authorities, the City and Industrial Development Corporation of Maharashtra Ltd (CIDCO) has decided not to build separate commercial complexes atop the railway stations which are to come up on the Nerul-Uran railway line. The decision was taken after the railway authorities objected to the plan, citing maintenance issues.
The 27-km long Nerul-Bela-pur-Seawood-Uran railway project will have a total of nine railway stations. Tenders for their construction will be floated soon. After the railway authorities expressed their reservations about the plans for a commercial complex atop the railway stations, CIDCO scrapped the plan.
N S Pitale, additional chief engineer for rail project (CIDCO), said, "The railway authorities have asked us to build railway stations on the Nerul-Uran line, but discard the plan for commercial complexes atop the stations.
Their primary objection is on the use of space atop the stations for commercial purposes. The railways authorities find it difficult to maintain the stations if such constructions are made. However, we will be able to allow some commercial spaces within the station premises."
CIDCO is likely to set asideu00a0 some space within the station premises for commercial use.
Sitaram Rokde, executive engineer of CIDCO, said, "Since the contractors will not be allowed to construct commercial complexes over the stations, the developers will be allowed to use a part of the built-up area within the station premises for commercial use. Paper stalls and juice centres will be allowed. Tenders for construction of the stations will be floated soon."
The network is expected to be operational by 2015. "The stations will be constructed simultaneously with the laying of the railway lines. We expect services on the line to begin by the end of 2014, or the beginning of 2015," said Rokde.
Rs 495 crore
The budget for the line as projected in 1996
Rs 1,412 crore
The present estimated cost of the project
