Indian Railways asks state govt to contribute more towards proposed Virar-Vasai-Diva-Panvel line; no clarity on whether it wants 60:40 ratio
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We all know that building and expanding the city's lifeline is expected to come at a huge cost. But, the question on everyone's mind is who will take on that financial burden. If railway sources in Mumbai are to be believed, the Centre is reluctant to invest money in the proposed Virar-Vasai-Diva-Panvel suburban line -- pegged at Rs. 9,000 crore -- and has written to the state to contribute more towards the project.
At present, the two financiers -- Indian Railways and Maharashtra government --are sharing the project cost equally. But, railway officials in Mumbai claim that the Railway Board in Delhi has sent a letter asking them to shoulder more, for the project. It is unclear whether the railways is looking at a 60:40 ratio (Maharashtra government and railways) or even more. "At the end of the day, the state government will reap the benefits of this vital suburban corridor," said a senior railway official.
The Virar-Vasai-Diva-Panvel corridor will be 70.14 km long, and will connect all three lines -- Western, Central and Harbour – and further strengthen public transport in the metropolitan region.
The government and railways have been trying to work out flexible working hours for commuters so as to divide the super dense load that the suburban system witnesses. During peak hours, more than 16 people stand per square metre of space inside local trains.
With this new corridor in place, setting up additional commercial and office spaces in the extended suburbs would also seem viable. "Moreover there is another international airport coming up in Navi Mumbai. It's a win-win situation for the state government and so we want them to contribute more, financially," explained another railway official. This project has been approved by the NITI Aayog and now awaits final approval by the Cabinet Committee of Economic Affairs (CCEA) chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
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