MUTP-3 set to pick up speed as ₹3K-crore loan gets nod

In a major boost to the city’s Mumbai Urban Transport Project 3 (MUTP-3), the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) has approved a loan of US$ 500 million

In a major boost to the city’s Mumbai Urban Transport Project 3 (MUTP-3), the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) has approved a loan of US$ 500 million (₹3587 crore) for construction of a new suburban railway corridor between Panvel and Karjat railway stations, quadrupling of Virar and Dahanu Road railway stations and trespassing control on railways’ mid-section on the Central and Western Railway.

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Projects under MUTP-3 include suburban elevated railway corridor between Airoli and Kalwa railway stations, along with procurement of air-conditioned (AC) local trains for the suburban railway network. The Mumbai Rail Vikas Corporation (MRVC) has floated a tender for construction of bridges and flyover under MUTP-3. The project also involves construction of a road underbridge at Pune Expressway, road overbridge (ROB) and rail flyover between Panvel and Karjat for the new suburban railway corridor.

The loan has been provided for a period of more than 35 years. The completion cost of MUTP-3 is ₹10,947 crore. The disbursal of the loan amount will be initiated after 90% land acquisition for construction of the suburban corridor and quadrupling project is completed. A total of 58 hectares will be required for construction of a 64-km Virar-Dahanu and 28km of suburban railway corridor between Panvel and Karjat. “More than 50% of land acquisition is completed,” said DJ Pandian, vice-president and chief investment officer, AIIB, at a conference to announce major milestones of AIIB in India.

The MUTP-3 got the Centre’s nod in 2016, but the work could not commence owing to hassles in acquiring 156 ha needed for the project. MUTP-3 was later declared a vital project for the city by the Maharashtra government.

The bank has also stated that they are looking to fund Metro projects in the city.

The MRVC is further in talks with the AIIB and National Development Bank (NDB) for funding of the remaining projects. It is seeking ₹7,000 crore for projects under MUTP-3A. The completion cost of projects under MUTP-3A is ₹33,690 crore. The projects include procurement of 191 air-conditioned (AC) local trains, extension of harbour railway line between Goregaon and Borivali railway stations, introduction of communication-based train control (CBTC) on central, harbour and western railway, remodelling of Kalyan railway yard, including segregation of outstation and local trains, development of suburban railway stations, construction of fifth and sixth railway lines between Borivli and Virar, fourth railway line between Kalyan and Asangaon and construction of third and fourth railway line between Kalyan and Badlapur railway stations.