 "Commuters travel by a local train in Mumbai")
The 7.5 million commuters on Mumbai’s local trains have been spared a fare hike but they have not got any new trains on the suburban lines either.
In the Railway Budget on Thursday, Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu said all low platforms on the Mumbai suburban lines would be raised in the next financial year, to ensure better safety for passengers.
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He also said his ministry would try to award tenders early for the Rs 9,000-crore elevated railway corridor between Churchgate and Vihar, and the Rs 11,000-crore Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus Main-Panvel corridor.
But, no timeline was given for the completion of the projects.
The minister also announced in-principle approval for the Rs 11,414-crore Mumbai Urban Transport Project III (MUTP-III), but again, did not provide any roadmap for it.
The techno-economic feasibility study for the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus-Panvel high-speed corridor has already been completed. According to recommendations, the corridor should get a nine-car service, with a travel time of 45 minutes.
The project would be completed by 2019, reducing the travel time from the current 77 minutes.
Rites Limited presented an interim report to the Mumbai Railway Vikas Corporation, which will execute the project in association with the state government through a public-private partnership. The corridor will establish connectivity between south Mumbai and the Navi Mumbai International Airport.
For the Churchgate-Virar corridor, the railway ministry has already completed a techno-economic feasibility study. The project would be implemented through a private sector partnership on design-build-finance-operate-transfer model.
According to the study, it has been estimated that about 1.7 million passengers would use the corridor in 2019-20. The concessionaire will enjoy the freedom of setting tariff. Other sources of revenue could be commercial development and advertisement on the station building.
MUTP-III comprises the Panvel-Diva-Vasai-Virar corridor, a fast one on the Harbour line, the laying of fifth and sixth lines between Borivali and Virar, between Diva and Thane, and the Kalwa-Airoli rail link. The projects are aimed at increasing the operational efficiency of Mumbai suburban services.
Opposition Congress and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) criticised Prabhu for what they perceived to be neglect of the commuters.
NCP Spokesman Nawab Malik said that the face hike was “hidden”. His party colleague and the Mumbai unit chief Sachin Ahir said the Railway Budget has failed to impress the Mumbai commuters: “There is nothing new in the Budget. It is totally disappointing.”
The state BJP unit’s representatives, however, claimed the Railway Budget would help boost economic growth.
