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ShareMumbai: It may sound improbable but Union railway minister Mamata Banerjee wants her crew to undertake a feasibility study to connect the two iconic railway stations -- Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus and Churchgate.
"I have asked my officers from both the Central and Western Railways to undertake a study to see if the two stations can be connected. If this happens, it will not only allow people to travel from one station to the other but will also improve the frequency of trains which is currently at two minutes," said Banerjee who had come to the city to inaugurate 10 railway projects.
During her maiden visit to the city Banerjee agreed to the fact that the suburban rail system in Mumbai alone contributes nearly 50 per cent to the Indian railway's kitty. She said, "The train which reaches CST can be taken to Churchgate either an elevated corridor or an underground system and this rake can then be taken to Bandra, Andheri, etc."
However, railway officials feel such a plan is not feasible as several issues will have to be cleared before undertaking such a study. "The BMC's Heritage Committee has already declared that the structures around CST and Churchgate are of great heritage value and cannot be disturbed," pointed a senior railway official.
Another official requesting anonymity said, "Couple of years ago there were talks of connecting these two stations. But the initial survey pointed out that this project alone would cost over Rs750 crore whereas the total cost of the second phase of MUTP was Rs5,300 crore. It does not seem to be viable."
