Mumbai's elevated rail corridor plans on track, but delayed by a year
The Rs 12​,​131 crore CST-​Panvel elevated corridor and a spur from the line to the proposed Navi Mumbai International Airport was forwarded to the NITI Aayog on September 22 and while the appraisal note was expected on October 20, it has got delayed as there are queries on the project.
The plan to have the CST-Panvel and Bandra-Virar elevated corridors on Central and Western Railways is still at least six months to a year away from tenders and bids, officials in the know​ said​.​
Officials said that the cost estimates for the 'enabling works is being worked out at the Railway Board and only after a firming up of these works could private firms be invited. The project is expected to be rolled out under the Public-Private Participation mechanism.
The Rs 12​,​131 crore CST-​Panvel elevated corridor and a spur from the line to the proposed Navi Mumbai International Airport was forwarded to the NITI Aayog on September 22 and while the appraisal note was expected on October 20, it has got delayed as there are queries on the project.
The Bandra-Virar project has got an in-principle approval from the NITI Aayog though a formal nod is not yet received. This August CM Devendra Fadnavis said his government has signed the all-important State Support Agreement for both projects.
"Enabling works pertain to mapping of underground utilities, alignment of pillars, creation of temporary pathways for equipment etc which has to be done by government authorities, in this case the railways and the state. Only when these enabling works are completed can the private sector firms come in and start the actual work of construction," explained an official.
It is a bit of deja vu for the project because two years ago, in October 2013, the railways had asked ​​Rs 1240 crores for the 'enabling works' of the Oval Maidan-Churchgate-Virar elevated corridor that was being pursued at the time. The project soon collapsed due to the failure of the then Congress-led Democratic Front government and the railways to sign a State Support Agreement.