Only 26 pc progress on new lines between CST, Kurla despite spending 56 pc allocation: Par panel

Only 26 pc progress on new lines between CST, Kurla despite spending 56 pc allocation: Par panel

New Delhi, The railway ministry has spent 56 per cent of allocated funds while achieving only 26 per cent physical progress on the fifth and sixth railway lines between Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus and Kurla, the Public Accounts Committee said in its report tabled in Parliament on Friday.

Only 26 pc progress on new lines between CST, Kurla despite spending 56 pc allocation: Par panel

This indicates a significant misalignment between financial expenditure and project milestones, it added.

The report highlights delays in land acquisition, poor coordination among various stakeholders, contract irregularities, and recurring encroachments on railway land, besides several other issues.

The PAC noted that the railway ministry, in partnership with the Maharashtra government through the Mumbai Railway Vikas Corporation Limited , initiated construction of the fifth and sixth lines in 2009 under the Mumbai Urban Transport Project-II.

The project aimed to enhance capacity and segregate suburban railway services from long-distance and freight traffic on the heavily saturated CST-Kurla corridor.

The project, originally scheduled for completion by March 2021, has seen significant delays.

The committee noted that the project saw disbursement of 56.22 per cent of its ₹890.89-crore sanctioned estimate by January 2024, while achieving only 26 per cent physical progress, indicating significant misalignment between financial expenditure and project milestones.

It recommended the ministry should institute a comprehensive financial management framework for the project that includes monthly reviews of expenditure against physical progress.

The PAC also recommended periodic audits by internal and external bodies, along with prompt corrective actions to address discrepancies and ensure efficient use of funds, in line with the December 2026 milestone for Phase I.

Phase I of the project covers the Kurla-Parel section, while Phase II extends from Parel to CST.

The committee recommended the ministry conduct a comprehensive feasibility study for Phase II at the earliest, exploring alternative alignments or technologies, such as elevated or underground tracks, to minimise disruption and costs.

According to the committee, timely completion of such projects requires prompt approvals and no objection certificates.

It also urged the rail ministry to explore the feasibility of forming coordination committees at the start of each project, comprising representatives from various agencies involved in approvals and clearances, to resolve inter-agency issues at an early stage.

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