Major boost for elevated corridor project between Churchgate, Virar

The proposed elevated corridor project between Churchgate and Virar received a major boost on Saturday, as both the state government and the railways decided to sign a state support agreement for the project in a months’ time.

The proposed elevated corridor project between Churchgate and Virar received a major boost on Saturday, as both the state government and the railways decided to sign a state support agreement for the project in a months’ time.

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Highly placed sources in the railways also said the meeting paved the way for two more elevated corridors in the city.

At a two-hour meeting with Railway board chairman Vinay Mittal at the Sahyadri guest house on Saturday, chief minister Prithviraj Chavan directed state government officials to finalise the state support agreement and achieve financial closures of the 63-km long Churchgate-Virar corridor, estimated to cost around Rs21,000 crore, before October 31.

A top official said the state government had a few reservations regarding some points in the draft agreement prepared by the railways, and felt some clauses could be misused by concessionaries. So, it was decided at the meeting that issues such as FSI sharing and property development rights would be sorted out at a joint meeting. An agreement would then be re-drafted.

It was also decided that the concessionary agreement would be finalised by March, the deadline given by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO). “The state support agreement will decide the broad principals of the projects and duties or roles of both the parties,” a railway official said.