18,500-cr projects on cards to better city’s railway connectivity : Hindustan Times

MUMBAI: Expect better connectivity between Mumbai and the Mumbai Metropolitan Region ( MMR) i n the near f uture. Reason: The road map for the next phase of the Mumbai Urban Transport Project (MUTP) is all set to be drawn up.

Senior railway officials will soon plan infrastructure projects worth Rs18,500 crore to increase their network in the MMR and enhance capacity of local trains.

Railways minister Suresh Prabhu on Monday asked the Mumbai Rail Vikas Corporation Ltd (MRVC Ltd) as well Central Railway ( CR) and Wester n Railway (WR) to start preparing the road map for MUTP 4. The minister was visiting Dadar station to inaugurate the integrated security system (ISS).

According to railway officials, the key rail projects that will be part of MUTP 4 include the Virar-Vasai-Kopar-Panvel suburban cor ridor, which will connect the western suburbs with new growth hubs in Raigad. Constructing the third and fourth line between KalyanKasara and Kalyan-Karjat to increase the capacity of CR’s suburban section will also be taken up. Another key project will be laying an additional line between Karjat-Khopoli.

Prabhu’s directive indicates his keenness to plan for such projects well in advance. “It is always observed that by the time we plan and construct infrastructure, the demand increases manifold and we lag behind in matching the supply-demand ratio. Therefore, the MRVC and Railways should start planning and preparing for MUTP 4 right now,” said Prabhu.

While MUTP I and 2 was largely focused on increasing road and rail capacity within Mumbai, MUTP 3 focuses on expanding the rail network across the MMR. Similarly, MUTP 4 is being planned to enhance connectivity in the MMR.

“Our vision behind MUTP is to bring down the congestion in suburban railways. If not all, we will try to bring down the congestion in some sections by expanding the network. Providing an alternate rail route also reduces the burden on existing rail routes to some extent,” said a senior railway official, requesting anonymity.

Besides, the railway is also trying to push premium elevated airconditioned rail corridors between CST-Panvel, Andheri-Virar and Kurla-Thane-Bhiwandi.

However, these corridors will not come up under MUTP. They will be constructed on a publicprivate-partnership (PPP) module or with government funding involving all stake holders like local bodies. The railway ministry and the state on Sunday launched Rs11,000-crore worth projects under MUTP 3.