The third line that is being built between Kurla and Wadala stations will ferry freight and cargo trains that right now criss-cross suburban trains leading to their detention.
Ground work on building the third line for the much-congested Harbour Line has finally begun. The third line that is being built between Kurla and Wadala stations will ferry freight and cargo trains that right now criss-cross suburban trains leading to their detention. At Kurla, an elevated corridor will carry this goods line over the two lines, completely segregating them and further take them on the fifth and sixth lines.
The 5.66km new Kurla-Wadala line would be linked to the 1,483km national dedicated freight corridor of the western region, which is being built between Mumbai’s Jawaharlal Nehru Port and Dadri in Uttar Pradesh.
DNA was the first to report about it in January last year. The Kurla-Wadala project would cost Rs104 crore of which Rs55 crore would be spent on removal of hutments and rehabilitation.
“Yes. We have begun work relocating structures along existing stations between Kurla and Wadala to make way for a third line. To lay the third line, we need to make space and we have begun work on construction of a high-level booking office and staircase worth Rs2.31crore to lay the additional line at Chunabhati station.
Besides, we are laying a complete boundary wall and a drain for the stretch of almost 2km worth Rs4.27 crore to make way,’’ a top official said.
“These are preparatory works and other works shall be taken up soon. The average growth in commuters on harbour line in last five years has been in the range of 9% to 10%, while the same is in the range of 3% to 4% on the main lines of CR and WR. It has become very crowded and besides building two more lines, which would take time, there is need to immediately decongest the existing line,’’ he said.
There is significant goods traffic coming and going to the docks of the Mumbai Port Trust (MbPT) daily and the railways had already signed a memorandum of understanding with the MbPT for this additional line a few years ago. The traffic of Mumbai Port is projected to increase to 45.20 metric tonnes per annum (MTPA) by 2013-14 from the present level of 35.12 MPTA. The railways have already approved 12 car trains for harbour line and two separate fast train lines that will run air-conditioned locals between 49 km- CST-Panvel to be taken up on public-private partnership (PPP) to improve connectivity. The traffic on the Harbour Line is expected to be doubled by 2021 with the new airport plan in place.
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