Navi Mumbai’s 14 CIDCO stations handed over to CR; commercial rights shift from October

For years, CR operated trains while CIDCO maintained station infrastructure, leaving commuters caught between two agencies over repairs and passenger amenities

Navi Mumbai: Central Railway (CR) has taken over the remaining 14 railway stations developed by the CIDCO on the Harbour and Trans-Harbour corridors, ending a long-running tussle over who would maintain the stations and provide passenger amenities. The handover, completed on Thursday, means all 17 stations developed by CIDCO have now been transferred to CR, although commercial and other administrative formalities will continue into October.

Navi Mumbai’s 14 CIDCO stations handed over to CR; commercial rights shift from October

For years, CR operated trains while CIDCO maintained station infrastructure, leaving commuters caught between two agencies over repairs and passenger amenities. CIDCO had built the stations under an agreement with Indian Railways, but after the agreement expired in 2008, the stations remained under CIDCO’s control.

“The major works and passenger facilities that needed to be provided were not being delivered. Whenever we approached the Railways, we were told that the stations were under CIDCO’s control. CIDCO, in turn, would say that the agreement with the Railways had not been completed,” Thane MP Naresh Mhaske said.

Mhaske had repeatedly raised the issue with Union railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw. A joint meeting at Central Railway headquarters at CSMT on May 15 set a six-month timeline for the transfer.

“While the Railways is being modernised in such a comprehensive manner, Vashi and Navi Mumbai railway stations were not seeing the same kind of modernisation,” Mhaske said.

The first phase was completed on June 22, when Targhar, Bamandongri and Kharkopar stations were handed over. The second phase covered Vashi, Sanpada, Juinagar, Nerul, Seawoods-Darave, Belapur, Airoli, Rabale, Ghansoli, Koparkhairane, Turbhe, Khandeshwar, Mansarovar and Kharghar.

Mhaske said the second phase had slowed after the first three stations were transferred, leading to another meeting with Vaishnaw last week.

“Ashwini Vaishnav directed that the Railways should immediately take over the entire system and undertake all these works itself,” Mhaske added.

With CR now in charge, the focus will be on modernising individual stations and improving facilities such as seating and toilets. Officials said escalators will also be installed wherever required.

The transfer of commercial rights will take place from October 16. CIDCO will hand over agreement details to CR by October 15, while land plans are to be completed by September 30.

CIDCO’s existing contracts for housekeeping, pay-and-use toilets and dewatering pumps will continue until September 30, after which CR will take over from October 1. Land leases, water and power agreements and the sewage connection plan are expected to be completed by October 31.