The good news is that the Rs11,441-crore phase-3 of the Mumbai Urban Transport Project (MUTP) comprising six important railway projects has been announced in the railway budget and has made its way to the all-important Pink Book, which details all the projects sanctioned for the year. The bad news is that it is just a token announcement as the money allotted for the Rs11,441-crore project is just Rs2 crore, with the state and the railways paying a crore each.
The good news is that the Rs11,441-crore phase-3 of the Mumbai Urban Transport Project (MUTP) comprising six important railway projects has been announced in the railway budget and has made its way to the all-important Pink Book, which details all the projects sanctioned for the year. The bad news is that it is just a token announcement as the money allotted for the Rs11,441-crore project is just Rs2 crore, with the state and the railways paying a crore each.
Why this token gesture?
"It is not as if the railway minister has played some kind of poor joke on Mumbai. It is just that the projects mentioned in phase-3 are heavy-duty, for which even the detailed engineering study has not been completed," said a top-ranking railway official.
How long would it take to get the projects started?
Getting the initial work of of the projects moving will take anything between nine months and a year, even by the most optimistic of standards, and it is almost a certainty that the work on phase-3 will not start in this financial year, that is, by any time next month.
"It is a long process. First tenders will have to be called for the detailed engineering studies of the project. Only once these studies are completed, some of which might take over a year, can the tender for the works be set. That will take another six months to a year before the process ends and the contracted firm can start work on the ground," said the official.
When can these projects be readied for public use?
According to city-based railway officials, by Mumbai's standards of project implementation and completion, the six projects comprising phase-3 of MUTP will take anything between three years to a decade.
What else is the Pink Book carrying?
The city has also got other projects in the Pink Book. An allotment of Rs512 crore has been made for various works comprising phase-2 of MUTP. Since the MUTP is a joint venture shared equally by the state and the railways, the government will pool in Rs512 crore of its share, making it a total of Rs1,024 crore.
Next, a sum of Rs10 crore has been earmarked for the extension of the harbour line platforms to accommodate 12-coach rakes. The state is set to chip in an equal amount, making it a Rs20 crore allocation for the project which is expected to be completed by December.
The budget also apportioned Rs15 crore for the raising of platforms on Western Railway's suburban sections. As highlighted by dna in its February 26 edition, the work of raising platforms was begun after sustained media coverage following the accident of collegian Monika More by utilising revenue funds because the sanction had not come in from the railway board. These are funds required for various maintenance works.
There is also, as per the budget, Rs8.83 crore for escalators on WR and Rs6.6 crore for foot overbridges.
MUTP phase-3 projects:1- Virar-Dahanu 3rd and 4th line which will allow more suburban trains to Dahanu
2- Panvel Karjat suburban line
3- The elevated Airoli-Kalwa connector4- Rolling stock
5- Station development
6- Trespass control
Beyond the year
As part of the systematic plan for the period spanning 2015-201919, the railways has also estimated that they would require Rs65,000 crore for high-speed and elevated corridor.
The cost (in Rs crore) break-up: Current Rates with Completion Rates in brackets.
Projects World Bank Maharashtra/Railways Total
Virar-Dahanu 2046 (2884) 512 (711) 2558 (3555)
Panvel-Karjat 1249 (1619) 312 (405) 1561 (2024)
Airoli-Kalwa 285 (342) 71 (86) 356 (428)
Rolling Stock 940 (1160) 1410 (1739) 2350 (2899)
Station development 1200 (1560) 300 (390) 1500 (1950)
Trespass Control 320 (416) 80 (104) 400 (520)
Technical 50 (65) -------- 50 (65)
6090 (8006) 2685 (3435) 8775 (11441)
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