Kurla tracks to open on April 3

The much-delayed commissioning of two additional railway tracks between Kurla and Thane will take place on April 3. Central Railway officials expect to finish the remaining work in the Vidyavihar and Lokmanya Tilak Terminus (LTT) stretch by April 3. The outstation mail/express and goods trains will start to ply on the tracks soon after.

The commissioner of railway safety (CRS) had given his final approval, sans conditions, on March 13 after rigorous checking of the new tracks. However, a small rail link of the two tracks between Vidyavihar and LTT stations is currently in progress.

A part of this work-connecting the two new lines with the entry and exit tracks of the LTT-will be concluded on April 3. And thus, the present load on the two fast lines of the outstation and goods trains will be shifted to the two new tracks thereby making space for more suburban services.

However, since other related works — building crossover lines for the Kurla rail yard and additional crossovers on the fast lines — are still pending, speed restrictions will be imposed in the stretch close to the Vidyavihar and Ghatkopar stations.