Mumbai: Railways has money, yet many projects pending

Digha station being given shape as part of the Kalwa-Airoli project

If allocation of funds for railway projects across Mumbai were an indicator of the progress of work, the city would have got rail infrastructure at a brisk pace. But that is not the case always.

Work on the Diva-Thane project is in its last leg

mid-day reviewed the health of a few projects and found that the actual work on ground can get stuck beyond financial reasons. There are factors like non-availability of clear land, permissions from local bodies and traffic clearances also slow down work. The projects are being undertaken by the Mumbai Railway Vikas Corporation, Central Railway and Western Railway.

The CSMT-Kurla project involves laying the additional 5th and 6th lines

The Thane-Diva line has been one of the most delayed projects. It is now ready with all the equipment and is awaiting permissions from the traffic police and public works department for a block on the Mumbra highway.

"The railway line needs to cross over the highway for which girders need to be laid. For this, the highway would have to be stopped and this will lead to major traffic issues. We are awaiting permissions from local authorities," a senior railway official said.

The project of additional rail lines between Kurla-Thane will be initially done only till Parel. Work is underway on the new elevated station at Kurla, which will create a path for 5th and 6th lines, in addition to Sion station. The work involves reconstruction of the Sion road bridge.

The other important project involves an additional corridor (two lines) between Virar and Dahanu. "Beyond Virar, there are just two rail tracks as of now which lead to capacity constraints. Two new tracks will solve the problem and lead to an increase of frequency of trains," the official said. MRVC officials said work is now focussed on major and minor bridges and the earthwork required to lay tracks.

The elevated corridor between Kalwa and Airoli too is awaiting state nod as it involves rehabilitation of project affected people. "Once land is made available to us, we can complete it in three years. We have begun work on wherever land is clear and construction of Digha station is also progressing well. This will be the point from where the new elevated line will start," added the official.

National Railway Users' Consultative Committee member Subhash H Gupta from Yatri Sangh Mumbai said the railways needs cooperation from other stakeholders for such projects. "A monitoring committee should be set up to make the local bodies also answerable for project delays," he said.

On track or off track?

Project: 5th & 6th line CSMT-Kurla
Status: Phase I work will be done till Parel. Key challenges are reconstruction of a bridge at Sion and relief and rehabilitation of PAP.

Project: 5th & 6th line Between Thane-Diva
Status: Work in the last phase. Railways needs a major block on Mumbra highway to lay girders and is waiting for permissions from traffic and PWD.

Project: Quadrupling of the Virar-Dahanu Road
Status: Tenders floated for alignment where land is available. Work on minor and major bridges started and earthwork is being taken up.

Project: New suburban corridor between Panvel-Karjat
Status: This is a massive project, involving land acquisition

Project: New link between Airoli-Kalwa
Status: Digha station from where the line will go elevated is taking shape and land being made available at Kalwa.