Study feasibility of elevated corridor: State to Railways

“Though the discussion was not on record,state authorities were interested in another elevated corridor from Kalyan to Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus and getting this to Oval Maidan through an underground railway line. Soon,the Railways will ask RITES to prepare a feasibility report on the plan.

The state government wants both Railways to be get connected to Oval Maidan so that the crowd at Churchgate and CST can be dispersed quickly,” said a senior railway official on condition of anonymity.

On June 20,a presentation on the feasibility of an elevated corridor from Virar via Mahalaxmi-Churchgate-Oval Maidan (underground from Charni Road to Oval Maidan) was made by the officers of Western Railway (WR).

During the meeting,it was decided that a technical team of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) should examine the proposal,particularly with regard to the impact of ridership on the elevated rail corridor on the proposed Metro corridor from Colaba to Bandra and vice-versa. The MMRDA report submitted to state authorities recommends that the elevated corridor should be terminated at Mahalaxmi or Mumbai Central station with proper inter-modal integration with the Metro corridor.

WR then refused to consider a plan between Mahalaxmi and Virar as suggested by MMRDA as according to them this would not serve any purpose. In the meeting it was decided that a coordination committee of the Railways and state will ensure smooth implementation of the project within the stipulated deadline. The state government also assured “complete cooperation” for land acquisition for the project,which will cost more than Rs 15,000 crore.