Now, take a local from CST to Uran

By 2012, you might be able to take a local train from CST to reach the new international airport in Navi Mumbai, reports Rajendra Aklekar.

By 2012, you might be able to take a local train from CST to reach the new international airport in Navi Mumbai.

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The Central government has revived the Belapur-Seawoods-Uran suburban railway project, resolving all pending issues between the railways and the Maharashtra government.

The suburban network on Central Railway will now be extended to Uran in the next few years, while the Western Railway local trains will go as far as Dahanu by December 2009.

Construction work on a double electrified railway line between CST and Uran, spanning 57.54 km was stopped after City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO) said they wanted to develop their own metro project for Navi Mumbai.

CIDCO has withdrawn its objection.

With the new international airport coming in the area, this line will facilitate ease of passengers.

Since the line will also pass the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust, one of country’s largest shipping ports, it will benefit lakhs of people who visit the area.

Along with the new Sewri-Nhava Sheva sealink, this line will boost the region’s connectivity with the mainland, offering multiple modes of transport.

A train journey between Uran and CST is expected to take an average of one hour and 45 minutes.

“The new line will connect the existing harbour line at two points. One leg will go to Nerul and the other to Belapur,”

a top official said, requesting anonymity.

“These will converge at a station called Kile about three km from Nerul and Belapur and then the straight double line will continue till Uran. This will give the entire Mumbai Metropolitan Region a good connectivity,” he added.