No new project, but rly budget has Rs. 70 cr for city

While the railway budget for 2013-14 had no new project for the city, it did sanction Rs. 70 crore for various amenities such as escalators, foot overbridges, automatic ticketing vending machines (ATVM) and improvement of stations.

The budget has a specific fund provision of Rs. 27 crore for the ongoing and proposed works at main stations such as Thane, Borivli, Andheri, Dadar, Lokmanya Tilak Terminus (LLT), Bandra Terminus and Mumbai Central.

Sharat Chandrayan, chief public relations officer, Western Railway, said, "We plan to rebuild station buildings, FOBs, auto decks and make some station premises more spacious."

The railways have also made a provision of Rs 21.10 crore for 72 escalators to be installed at 31 stations on the CR and WR.

According to spokesperson of WR, they have so far identified 18 stations such as Dadar, Vile Parle, Andheri, Borivli, Mumbai Central, Bandra (T), Lower Parel, Mira Road, Bhayandar, Nalasopara and Virar for the installation of escalators.

The CR is yet to identify the stations, though a few of them have been air-marked.

A fund of Rs. 13.93 crore has been provided for building FOBs at WR stations such as Parel, Elphinstone Road, Goregaon, Bandra, Vasai Road, Nalasopara, Virar, Goregaon, Malad and Kandivli.

According to railway officials, the fund allocation will provide a boost to the development of stations, thus facilitating the passengers.

Relief for commuters
The newly-announced weekly Hazrat Nizamuddin–Mumbai AC Express will be of great help to CR commuters from Thane, Kalyan and Nashik.

Currently, the passengers from Thane, Navi Mumbai, Kalyan and Nashik have to travel to Mumbai Central to board the Rajdhani Express.

"The train would take 4 hours extra to reach Delhi, but will have similar facilities," said Subodh Jain, general manager, CR.