The Mumbai local may have lost its track to success so to speak. It seems that the new kid on the block, the Metro rail, has taken the limelight from the local which ferries nearly 78 lakh commuters daily.
One of the biggest and costliest projects of the Mumbai Urban Transport Project (MUTP)-3A could be the last venture for Mumbai Rail Vikas Corporation (MRVC) as far as executing railway projects in Mumbai and its metropolitan region is concerned as the future of local trains is being replaced by the Metro rail, which is being developed on a big scale.
The umbrella project of MUTP-3A comprising of 14 components, and amounting to Rs 55,000 crore is already being considered a monetary drain. The Indian Railways and the state government are sharing the cost equally. It is known among the power corridors that, both Indian Railways and Maharashtra government see the suburban local trains as a burden.
The MUTP-3A will more or less cover the length and breadth of Mumbai and its metropolitan region where rail lines will be laid for suburban network. "The state government is keener on spreading its metro rail corridors throughout Mumbai and focus on that," said a senior railway official.
The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority is constructing 13 different metro rail corridors amounting to over Rs 1.25 lakh crore. These are extending in far suburbs as well. Amidst this, the MMRDA also needs to fund over Rs 27,000 crore for MUTP-3A. It is already building metro rail network of over 100-120 kms long and when all corridors are ready, it shall traverse through 300 kms.
At the recent meeting held in Mumbai Central, Union Railway minister Piyush Goyal discussed the progress of MUTP-3A with state agencies. Senior officials agree that the constant checks by the Railways Minister is keeping this multi-crore project moving.
The officials agree that the Railway Board in Delhi is sceptical about disbursing such a huge sum for one city alone. DNA had earlier reported about how two vital projects of CSMT-Panvel elevated fast corridor and Virar-Vasai-Panvel suburban rail line went back in the red-tape due to its inclusion in MUTP-3A.
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