Mumbai:
The Mumbai Railway Vikas Corporation (MRVC) is to prepare a white paper on the suburban network in a month.
Railway minister Suresh Prabhu, who dedicated to the nation the new alternating current (AC) traction system on the CR on Tuesday , said: “MRVC will prepare the draft report so that people can give their suggestions, based on which steps can be taken to improve the suburban railway network.“
The white paper will cover the current status of the suburban railway system, the projects that are being undertaken, the hurdles in executing the project and other matters.
“We will also deal with the issues of maintenance and encroachments, besides referring to the financial position of the suburban railways,“ MRVC chairman and managing director Prabhat Sahai said.
Despite ferrying 75 lakh passengers per day , the suburban system is suffering losses. Since fare hike is a sensitive issue, the railways has been toying with the idea of commercial exploitation of airspace above the stations to generate revenue and maintain the platforms and its assets.
“A policy will soon be an nounced and we can involve the state government and local self government bodies too in this endeavour,“ Prabhu said.
He said that the Mumbai Urban Transport Project (MUTP) III would soon be given a push and he would take up this issue for discussion with chief minister Devendra Fadnavis.
Five projects worth Rs 11,440 crore, including VirarDahanu quadrupling, AiroliKalwa elevated link and Panvel-Karjat doubling, have been selected in MUTP-III.
MUTP is still facing roadblocks because of non-coop eration from the railway board or protest on the ground to lay the tracks. For example, railway official were prevented from opening the fifth line between Mahim and Santacruz by some residents. Western Railway general manager SK Sood said: “The solution for this will be found soon after Ramadan.“
On the failures on the suburban railways, he said: “After the conversion of trac tion from DC-AC, the failures are likely to come down.“
Prabhu also suggested that the time has come to manage the demand side problem by reducing overcrowding. He said: “There are constraints of land and there is limit to going elevated too. Hence, instead of thinking of supply side management, it is time to take care of demand side management by staggering the office hour timings.''
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