New line to enable a train every 3 minutes on WR

A train every three minutes on Mumbai's Western line? It sounds like a dream, but officials are on course to fulfil this fantasy, thanks to a new line laid under the flyover going from Bandra (East) to Mahim, the Mumbai Mirror reported today.

The project, which would have disrupted traffic at the junction for two years, has been completed without any loss to vehicular movement u2013 and without the cars themselves having a clue about what was happening under their nosesu2026

The project
The Mumbai Railway Vikas Corporation (MRVC) wanted to build an additional railway line from Mumbai Central to Borivli, which would separate the mail-express traffic from suburban services.

Also, with new MRVC rakes being introduced, it was necessary to create more space for the trains to be stabled when not in service.

However, the project faced two main obstacles. A bridge would have to be built over the Mithi River for the line to run parallel to the tracks from Mahim onwards.

But before that, the mammoth task would be to create space under the Bandra-Mahim flyover. "To create the space, it was necessary to have a supporting beam on the west side, which demanded closure of traffic.

But it was impossible to shut the flyover even for a day, forget two years," said Prakashrao Wazalwar, MRVC spokesperson.

How it was done
MRVC engineers started weighing the options and, in coordination with J Kumar Constructions, which is executing the project, zeroed in on the 'box-push' technology. Seven concrete boxes, 10x10 sq m each, were pushed under the bridge. "It was a tedious process as we had to loosen the soil and then push the boxes one behind the other," said S S Kedia, deputy chief project manager (Civil), MRVC. "These boxes acted as support pillars, allowing us to start digging the soil under the bridge."

The soil was removed in parts, for which two of the flyover's eight lanes would be closed at a time. "Once this was done, we placed 25-metre-long girders on the bridge," he said, explaining that while some speed restrictions had to be introduced, traffic was by and large unaffected, and engineers were able to complete the task in eight months.

What has changed
There is now room for three new tracks, of which one will be used as a slow down line for WR in the future and two will act as stabling lines.

Work for the bridge over the Mithi River is underway. "The bridge is being constructed without much obstruction to the river's flow. We expect to see the services running on the additional track by the end of this year," said MRVC Managing Director P C Sehgal.