The proposal for Rs 12,131-crore CST-Panvel elevated corridor and a spur from the line to the Navi Mumbai International Airport was forwarded to the NITI Aayog on September 22. While the appraisal note was expected on October 20, it got delayed because of these queries, said officials.
The construction of the CST-Panvel elevated rail corridor has now thrown up a very peculiar situation for the Railways. The corridor has been envisaged as an air-conditioned system that would run on standard gauge or on tracks that are 1435mm apart, the gauge on which trains run in most European countries and also on metro networks in Indian cities, including the Verosva-Andheri-Ghatkopar metro.
However, it is a gauge that has never been tried by the Railways—which predominantly runs on broad gauge or tracks 1676 mm apart—in its 160-odd year history. Now the powers-that-be, including the NITI Aayog, want to know how the Railways would manage the operation and maintenance of this 'standalone' standard gauge system. Officials told DNA that it is one of the major hurdles that is keeping the project from getting approved at the NITI Aayog.
The proposal for Rs 12,131-crore CST-Panvel elevated corridor and a spur from the line to the Navi Mumbai International Airport was forwarded to the NITI Aayog on September 22. While the appraisal note was expected on October 20, it got delayed because of these queries, said officials.
"The CST-Panvel project was envisaged as a Private-Public Participation (PPP) one. The standard gauge was chosen as it would allow the private participant—that will build and operate the line—to buy ready-made standard gauge coaches or metro coaches. CST-Panvel needs to be on standard gauge as it is supposed to be integrated with the DN Nagar-Bandra-Mankhurd 2b metro corridor which will be on standard gauge. However, now that the line will be built under the Engineering Procurement Construction (EPC) model by the Railways itself, it has become a problem," said a senior railway official.
"It would be a very expensive affair for the Railways to build an entire eco-system of rolling stock, spares, training of personnel and the like to operate and maintain a standalone standard gauge system. Secondly, we do not have the expertise to manufacture rolling stock in the standard gauge system. And bringing in a private firm to operate and maintain it defeats the purpose. In that case it could have been a proper PPP and the government would have had to invest less in the system," explained another official.
Officials agreed that getting around the problem would be a task. Once completed, the line, apart from connecting the city to the upcoming Navi Mumbai airport, will also see reduction of 6 lakh vehicle trips per day and also reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 7.55 tonnes daily.
The gauge maths
(in metres)
1.43 – Width of tracks in standard gauge
1.67 – Width of tracks in broad gauge
3.20 – Width of metro coach in standard gauge
3.66 – Width of suburban coach in broad gauge
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