Manoj Kotak to CR: Why is Ghatkopar station not decongested yet

Central Railway has approved the drawings in November 2019. File photo

Days after mid-day ran a front-page story on February 28 on how the railways have not been able to decongest the dangerous Ghatkopar station, North East Mumbai MP Manoj Kotak has asked Central Railway (CR) about when the decongestion plan will be completed.

Kotak has shot off a letter to the CR authorities (a copy of which is with mid-day) seeking "detailed status of the proposed work and deadline." The letter was despatched to the CR offices on March 2.

It was originally Kotak who was instrumental in getting the Ghatkopar railway station plan approved from Railway Minister Piyush Goyal at a public function after the mid-day first reported 'Next Disaster is arriving on platform No.1' on August 30 2019. Kotak states that Ghatkopar suburban and Metro stations have been one of the busiest in the CR corridor and that the facilities at the station had reached a breaking point after which he requested Goyal to take measures accordingly.

"Accordingly, Union Railway Minister Piyush Goyal gave instructions on September 13, 2019, to decongest Ghatkopar suburban and Metro Stations within a month. I along with railway officials visited the station for a site visit the same day. After that, the railways planned a massive upgrade of the station, including three new 12-metre footbridges, an elevated deck and an additional skywalk along the road, he said.

"I now want to have a detailed status update on the proposed works and that as to when the actual work shall commence and be completed," he added.

The CR had approved the drawings in November 2019. However, the project is still stuck in red tape with CR yet to clear working plan submitted by the MRVC (Mumbai Railway Vikas Corporation). MRVC officials said the problem at Ghatkopar is absolute lack of space for any construction work, for which they have now planned special European micro piling machines which can work with limited headroom. However, six months on, the CR and Commissioner of Railway Safety are sitting on the files and yet to grant permissions.

Meanwhile, a CR spokesperson said that they were examining the details and that permissions would soon be issued.

Sept 13
Day last year when Rly Minister Piyush Goyal ordered the decongestion of Ghatkopar stn

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