3 years after nod, Maharashtra finally gets down to groundwork on MUTP-3

By January-end, government and railway authorities to begin acquiring 156 ha for ₹10K-crore project to improve rail connectivity

Nearly three years after the Mumbai Urban Transport Project-3 (MUTP-3) was approved by the Centre, work on the ₹10,948-crore project meant to improve suburban railway connectivity in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) is set to begin.

The project includes the doubling of the railway line between Panvel and Karjat stations. (Hindustan Times)

By the end of January, railway authorities along with the state government will begin the process to acquire land for the project.

The Mumbai Rail Vikas Corporation (MRVC), a joint venture of the state government and Indian Railways formed to implement suburban projects, has estimated 156 hectares for MUTP-3.

The project includes the doubling of the railway line between Panvel and Karjat stations, two additional railway lines between Virar and Dahanu and an elevated corridor between Airoli and Kalwa railway stations.

“Regular meetings with the state government on land acquisition are going on. We are monitoring the progress and will start acquisition by the end of January,” said a senior MRVC official.

After the completion of the project, passengers will be able to take suburban local trains between Panvel and Karjat railway stations without having to change trains at Thane station. Presently, commuters have to switch from the Central Railway’s (CR) mainline to the Thane-Vashi trans-harbour line.

Currently, there is only one railway line used for outstation and goods trains between Virar and Dahanu. Additional lines between these stations will allow railways to segregate suburban and outstation trains, resulting in an increase in the number of local services besides improving punctuality. Since the corridor is on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad trunk route, the rail line is highly saturated owing to outstation and goods trains.

The MUTP-3 is to meet an estimated deadline of 2022. However, railway officials are sceptical about the completion of the projects within the deadline as the new railway line projects under MUTP-2 are yet to be completed.

The major concern for MRVC officials are about generating funds.

“Funding at this stage will not be a concern for the project as there is a budgetary provision allocated. Pre-construction work for the major projects can start,” said the official