CBTC: This new technology to increase Mumbai’s local train frequency

The increase in the number of train services in Mumbai will be on the Central, Harbour and the Western Railways.

Passengers travelling from Mumbai suburban local trains will have more train services in the future as the frequency of services will be increased to 24, from 16 at present during the peak hours, said an official on Friday.

The increase in services has been made possible as the Mumbai Rail Vikas Corporation (MRVC) has started the technical assessment of implementation of Communication Based Train Control (CBTC) on the suburban railway network. (HT  FILE Photo)

The increase in the number of train services will be on the Central, Harbour and the Western Railways. The increase in services has been made possible as the Mumbai Rail Vikas Corporation (MRVC) has started the technical assessment of implementation of Communication Based Train Control (CBTC) on the suburban railway network.

Post the implementation of CBTC, the headway of trains will reduce to two and a half minutes as opposed to the present number of more than three minutes. The project will take four years to be implemented on all the three suburban railway lines.

“CBTC enables the operation of trains at a headway of 90 seconds. For the suburban railway corridor, a headway of two and half minutes will increase the number of trains substantially. The technical assessment for the project has started, “ said a senior MRVC official.

The project is a part of the Mumbai Urban Transport Project (MUTP) 3 A and will cost Rs 5928 crore. The CBTC will be introduced on the Central Railway between Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) and Kalyan on the mainline at a cost of Rs.2166 crore, CSMT to Panvel at a cost of Rs1391 crore on the harbour railway. On the western railway, the system will be introduced between Churchgate and Virar railway stations at a cost of Rs 2371 crore.

The MUTP 3 A also includes procurement of 210 AC local trains, extension of harbour railway line between Goregaon and Borivali railway station, fifth and sixth railway line between Borivali and Virar, fourth railway line between Kalyan and Asangaon and station improvement on both Central and western Railways. 19 stations on both Central and Western Railways will also be improved.