Mumbai Suburban Rail Network Gets ₹52,724 Crore Boost.

Mumbai's lifeline, its suburban railway network, is set for a significant overhaul with the Railways Ministry sanctioning multiple projects totaling a colossal ₹52,724 crore under the Mumbai Urban Transport Project (MUTP) schemes. These ambitious initiatives are poised to drastically improve connectivity and address the ever-growing demands of the city's millions of daily commuters.

The comprehensive expansion plan includes funding for MUTP-II with a budget of ₹8,087 crore, MUTP-III at ₹10,947 crore, and MUTP-IIIA commanding ₹33,690 crore.

Key Projects and Enhancements

According to the Ministry, the core works under MUTP-III are set to transform several crucial corridors. These include the development of the Panvel-Karjat line, the quadrupling of the Virar-Dahanu section, the construction of the Airoli-Kalwa Elevated Corridor, the implementation of crucial trespass control measures, and the procurement of a substantial amount of new rolling stock.

These vital projects, alongside the ongoing work on the 5th and 6th lines between Borivali-Virar and the 3rd and 4th lines between Kalyan-Badlapur, are being executed by Mumbai Railway Vikas Corporation Ltd (MRVC Ltd). MRVC Ltd, a joint venture between the Ministry of Railways and the Government of Maharashtra, operates on a 50:50 cost-sharing basis, ensuring collaborative development.

Multi-Tracking Efforts on Existing Corridors

Significant multi-tracking efforts are also underway to enhance capacity on the existing busy corridors:

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  Churchgate–Virar section: Work has been sanctioned to expand the network to 4 lines between Churchgate to Mumbai Central, 8 lines between Mumbai Central to Borivali, and 6 lines between Borivali to Virar.

  
  


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  CSMT-Panvel Section: The 5th and 6th line between CSMT-Kurla has been sanctioned, with work already progressing on the Kurla-Parel section. Additionally, two extra lines are already operational on the CSMT-Kurla-Vasai-Panvel route.

  
  

New Rolling Stock and Seamless Integration

To further bolster the suburban rail's capacity, a total of 238 new 12-car rakes have been sanctioned under MUTP-III & IIIA, representing a substantial investment of ₹19,293 crore in modernizing the fleet.

The Ministry of Railways is also actively facilitating seamless intermodal connectivity by supporting integration with metro authorities, particularly the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA). Currently, Andheri East and Ghatkopar Railway stations are successfully integrated with their respective metro stations, offering commuters smoother transitions between different modes of transport.