CST-Panvel elevated corridor and Virar-Diva-Panvel quadrupling projects gets the boost.

The Union Budget, which included railway finances for the first time, has brought good tidings for Mumbai. Suburban infrastructure projects connecting the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) have got a major boost in the budget announced on Thursday. The Union railway ministry has made a provision of Rs.636 crore for the city’s railway infrastructure projects, besides making giving its nod to the CST-Panvel elevated corridor and the Virar-Diva-Panvel quadrupling project, in the 2017-18 budget.

Though the 72-km Vasai-Virar-Panvel Corridor (initial cost of ₹8,787 crore) and the 55-km CST-Panvel Fast Elevated Corridor (initial cost of ₹14,525 crore) were announced nearly three years ago, work has been sanctioned in the current budget. “This means we don’t have to wait for another budget to begin our work. We can at least start work, and the process of permissions and other paperwork takes time. We will be sending this to the Union government for approval,” a senior railway official said.

The Virar-Diva-Panvel quadrupling project will improve east-west connectivity in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), easing pressure on existing suburban corridors. The CST-Panvel elevated corridor, which is touted as a fast corridor for the harbour line, will provide suburban connectivity to the proposed Navi Mumbai airport.

Estimated to cost around Rs.8,700 crore, the Vasai-Diva-Panvel quadrupling project, is the city’s biggest railway project in terms of project cost, while the CST-Panvel corridor will prove to be an engineering challenge for railways. The ministry has made a token budgetary allocation for both the projects.

Although the Virar-Diva-Panvel project is awaiting approval from the Union cabinet and the CST-Panvel elevated corridor is still to get the NITI Aayog’s approval, railway officials said once the budgetary allocation is made for any project, they consider it a sanctioned one.

Prabhat Sahai, Managing director, Mumbai Rail Vikas Corporation, said, “The allocation of ₹10 lakh is the token amount sanctioned to begin work. In case we require more funds in the current year, we will surely get another sanction. We have completed surveys and finally, we can start work.” They see this as a major boost for the city’s railway infrastructure. “The CST-Panvel elevated corridor and Virar-Panvel will be a centre-and state-funded project. The detailed project report (DPR) for both these projects is ready and awaiting sanction from the Union government,” said Prabhat Sahai, Managing Director and Chairman of MRVC.

In the railway budget copy, which was made public on Friday, Mumbai has received Rs.639.50 crore for ongoing Metropolitan Transportation projects, including the Mumbai Urban Transport Project (MUTP). MUTP-II and MUTP-III have been allotted Rs.137 crore and Rs.411.50 crore respectively. Apart from this, the Belapur-Seawood-Uran project got Rs.66 crore.

MUTP-II, worth Rs.7,300 crore, is partially complete and under it, the city has received 70 new locals, besides DC-AC conversion on the Central line and 12-car locals on the Harbour line. Under MUTP-III, new projects such as the 3rd and 4th line between Virar-Dahanu (63km), Airoli-Kalwa (4km), which will provide easier access for suburban commuters between Kalyan and Panvel and the doubling of Panvel-Karjat line (28km) are likely to kick-start soon.

A few of its important projects have been given substantial funds, which officials said would go a long way in completing them over the next three to five years. However, two Mumbai-based projects have received a token amount of Rs. 10 lakh crore. These include the Rs. 9,356-crore Virar-Vasai-Panvel new suburban corridor and the elevated CST-Panvel corridor, which at current prices is expected to cost upwards of Rs. 14,500 crore.

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