E-Paper
PM flags off 36 new local trains, dedicates two railway lines to nation
Ahead of the local body polls in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), which accounts for more than 20% of the state population, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday flagged off 36 new local train services on the Central Railway (CR) and dedicated to the nation the fifth and sixth railway lines between Thane and Diva stations
Prefer HTon Google
Ahead of the local body polls in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), which accounts for more than 20% of the state population, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday flagged off 36 new local train services on the Central Railway (CR) and dedicated to the nation the fifth and sixth railway lines between Thane and Diva stations.
The 36 services, including 34 AC locals, will be operational on the CR’s mainline from Saturday, catering to more than 17 lakh commuters. The two new railway lines are part of the Mumbai Urban Transport Project (MUTP 2B) that got approval in 2008.
Modi, who joined the function at Thane via videoconferencing, said with the new railway lines, there are separate tracks for local and express trains. “Trains coming from other states will not have to wait for local trains to pass. Besides, express trains can be operated without much obstruction between Kalyan and Kurla, and Kalwa-Mumbai commuters will not be troubled by mega block every Sunday. The 36 trains are part of the Central government’s commitment to expand and modernise the facility on local services.”
He paid tribute to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj ahead of Shiv Jayanti on Saturday.
Maharashtra Governor BS Koshyari and chief minister Uddhav Thackeray attended the function online, while Union railways minister Ashwini Vaishnaw was present at Thane railway station.
The long-pending project of additional lines assumes importance as it will help reduce the crowding on the CR which sees 3.2-3.5 million passengers daily. The inauguration of the lines and additional services is considered politically important for the Bharatiya Janata Party which eyes for a better performance in the civic elections in cities like Mumbai and Thane. Five of the nine municipal corporations in the MMR will go to the polls in the next couple of months.
Thackeray said the new lines and the local services were an example of the close coordination between the state and the Centre. “The railway lines envisaged more than a decade ago are a dream come true for lakhs of commuters. The first train service in the country was operated between Thane and Mumbai. The commuters used to get paid for travelling on the train. After launching water taxi as a joint venture between the Centre and the state, the new rail lines are another joint venture between us. I am hopeful that Modiji will continue his support to us,” he added.
Modi further said 400 km railway lines will be added to the Mumbai network. “Major work of Communication Based Train Control and redevelopment of 19 stations will also be undertaken soon.”
Mumbai Rail Vikas Corporation, which undertook the construction of the new railway lines, completed the commissioning work in a 72-hour block with 1,000 workers on February 8. Railway blocks of 14, 24 and 48 hours were also undertaken to complete the project.
Vaishnaw said fares of AC locals will be reduced in the coming days. “A proposal in this regard has been received by the railway board. The fares of metro and other fares will be compared and a decision will be taken soon.”
Vaishnaw also travelled by a local train between Thane and Diva stations and inspected the new lines and the stations. The minister enquired with passengers about the issues they face while travelling on locals.
On being asked to increase security for women commuters, Vaishnaw said steps will be taken to step up safety and security across the Indian Railways. He also enquired about the status of the new Thane Railway station and the incomplete work of Satis in Thane East.
Vaishnaw further said the people residing along the tracks will be rehabilitated. “We are in constant talks and discussions are on.”
Jitendra Awhad, Maharashtra housing minister present at the flag-off, requested the Union railway minister to provide land for the rehabilitation of such people. “I am the leader of poor people and I have myself seen poverty. Where will the poor people who work as helpers go if accommodation is given in other parts of the city? The railway ministry has land in Bandra, Kalwa and other areas. It should provide land for rehabilitation to the Slum Rehabilitation Authority. We will construct houses for them,” Awhad said.
Both Modi and Vaishnaw stressed the importance of the bullet train project between Mumbai and Ahmedabad. Modi said the Mumbai-Ahmedabad high speed train corridor is the need of the hour. “Discussions and coordination with the state government and the railways are going on,” Vaishnaw said.
Shiv Sena’s Kalyan MP Shrikant Shinde said, “This is not just two additional lines but it is also a convenient route for commuters. Despite technical glitches and natural hurdles, we have managed to construct two railway tracks, eight new platforms, eight new pedestrian bridges, three major bridges, 21 minor bridges, one subway, 1 1.4 km flyover, 170-metre tunnel, and service buildings.”
Commuter unions are, however, not satisfied with the new services as there are more AC locals. The existing AC trains on this route are already running with very few passengers.
Lata Argade, secretary of Suburban Railway Passengers Association, said, “If most of the additional services include AC trains then it is not beneficial as the middle-class population cannot afford the AC ticket fares.”
“The fifth and the sixth line from Kurla to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) are not completed, so the services will mostly be from Thane to Karjat and Kasara. This will definitely reduce the crowd at Kalwa, Mumbra and Diva, and will make it convenient to travel till CSMT. But the crowd at Thane station will see a spike,” said Nandkumar Deshmukh, president, Federation of Suburban Railway Passengers Association.
