MUTP gets 10% of funds allocated in interim budget for Maha

Mumbai has been allocated ₹1,600 crore for its rail projects under the Mumbai Urban Transport Projects (MUTP) in the interim budget. Indian Railways has allocated ₹15,500 crore for Maharashtra, which is 13 times more than the average allocation given to the state. The different phases of MUTP have been granted a total of ₹789 crore. These projects are being executed by the Mumbai Rail Vikas Corporation (MRVC), a joint venture between Indian Railways and the Maharashtra government.

MUMBAI: The city has been allocated around ₹1,600 crore for its rail projects under the Mumbai Urban Transport Projects (MUTP) in the interim budget. Indian Railways has allocated ₹15,500 crore for Maharashtra, which is 13 times more than the average allocation of ₹1,171 crore per year given to the state.

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As per the Indian Railways ‘Pink Book’, a document that lists rail projects which have received funding in the budget, the different phases of MUTP have been granted a total of ₹789 crore. These projects are being executed by the Mumbai Rail Vikas Corporation (MRVC), a 50:50 joint venture between Indian Railways and the Maharashtra government. An equal funding of ₹789 crore will be allocated by the state government for the rail projects.

Currently, MRVC has undertaken works on many projects under MUTP 2, 3 and 3A. The budget allocation for the MUTP projects is substantial enough to cover all the projects, and according to sources, more money is expected to roll in after the main budget which will be presented after the elections and formation of the new government in July.

“We have awarded contracts for new rail lines on the Borivali-Virar and Kalyan-Badlapur corridors and contracts for improvement works at 17 stations,” said SC Gupta, CMD, MRVC. The additional lines will help in the segregation of suburban and long-distance trains on both Central and Western Railway. Sources said that preparatory works had begun on both the corridors in terms of removing structures, extending FOBs, beginning the process of getting clearances for the removal of mangroves and forests and so on.

The deadline for the construction of Lines 3 and 4 on the Kalyan-Badlapur corridor is December 2026 and is being implemented at a cost of ₹1,510 crore. Likewise, Lines 5 and 6 on the Borivali-Virar stretch are likely to be completed by December 2027 at a cost of ₹2,184 crore.

Meanwhile, 17 stations on both Central and Western Railway are being upgraded to ease crowds, augment the deck across the station, and build multiple FOBs, escalators and lifts at a cost of ₹987 crore. Even the new suburban corridor of Panvel-Karjat is 45 percent complete; railway officials said that by April, they would complete the breakthrough in the longest tunnel in suburban Mumbai.

There is, however, no update on the procurement of 238 AC local trains under MUTP 3 and 3A. Last year, the Railways received ₹1,100 crore (and an equal amount by the state government) in the budget.

Projects apart from MUTP

There are several infrastructure projects, including additional rail lines, stations under Amrit Bharat, new trains and other engineering works which have received funds.

Sources in Western Railway said they had received ₹2,662 crore for augmenting train speeds to 160/200 kmph on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad-Delhi corridor under ‘Mission Raftaar’. Apart from this, WR has received ₹1,196 crore for the regirdering of ROBs at Dadar, Virar-Vaitarna and Prabhadevi stations.

On Central Railway, the authorities have received ₹51 crore for building ROBs at Diva, Vikhroli, Diva-Vasai, Diva-Panvel and Kalyan-Igatpuri. “We have received funds of ₹85 crore for the third line on the Kalyan-Kasara corridor as well,” said a CR official. “We have received ₹1,022 crore for customer amenities, which includes building new FOBs, escalators and lifts, extending platforms and carrying out other improvements at railway stations.”

The National High Speed Rail Corporation (NHSRCL), which is constructing India’s first bullet train corridor from Mumbai to Ahmedabad has received an allocation of ₹25,000 crore. In the first week of January, NHSRCL completed 100 percent land acquisition for the project, which encompasses 1,389 hectares in Maharashtra, Gujarat and Dadra and Nagar Haveli. Earlier this week, it also began the process for installing 28 seismometers which have the same technology used in the Japanese Shinkansen bullet train, known for its impressive safety record in over 55 years of operations.