On a vast tract of virgin land surrounded by CBD Belapur, New Panvel, Koparkhairane and Kalamboli, the under-construction 15,000-square-metre station is what Alimchandani calls `the right atmosphere for the right purpose.' ``Railway stations, which traditionally spawned commercial growth, haveunfortunately been left out of architectural events. We have forgotten that their genesis was commercial enterprise,'' says this architect working for the Indian chapter of a 35-year-old French company, Societe pour `le Utilisation de Pre-contrainte (STUP).

Khandeshwar station, says Alimchandani, just might help us realise this. It will make station architects see `movement' in `static.' While the railway tracks effectively divide the station into two, stretching it along the east-west axis like Mumbai suburbs, an important highway cuts across the tracks connecting major nodes: the Kalamboli steel yard, the proposed Navi Mumbai domestic airport and Nhava Sheva port. Expressive structural forms, leaning arches and diagonally placed grids help energise the spaces, while skylights of different shapes and forms cast varied patterns reflecting the solar movements. ``The kaleidoscopic display of light and shade describes the everchanging nature of the design,'' explains Alimchandani.

The building itself will bea leaning structure to make it look as if it's moving. The most established concept of stability, a pyramid, has been inverted here. ``But the major feature is it's regional relevance -- we have taken into account the temperature and wind patterns in and around Navi Mumbai,'' says the architect who zeroed in on this design after studying major railway stations in Europe. ``This is because I want our railway stations to look different from older stations which are more monumental than anything else,'' he says. Hence, his project is low-rise yet monumental, fragmental yet connected and geometrical yet flowing. Instead of being a terminal for the conveyance of passengers and goods, his kind of railway station serves the dual purpose of a station and a shopping mall. Also, next to the station, International Trade Fair Complex is also being planned. It will occupy 80,000 square metres.

``It was the idea of building up the node's market value that CIDCO gave us the project four years ago. But then recession hitthe real estate market and the five-year plan became a 10-year plan,'' explains Alimchandani.

Cidco, on the other hand, is not willing to commit on a deadline. All the officials have to say is that the subways are ready, and work has begun on the station office, which will be followed by the roof and the main station. ``We are waiting for the right moment,'' says CIDCO spokesperson who is looking at a budget of Rs 450 to Rs 600 per square metre. Whenever it is ready the project will set an example, claims Alimchandani. In the masterplan, STUP has given CIDCO three alternatives each for the subways, the station building and the commercial complex.``Usually architects work with four dimensions length, breadth, height and time. Fifth one for us is `meaning'. Most of the buildings in Mumbai are meaningless and they are here to stay. Unless they want a change,'' Alimchandani concludes.