Mumbai: Rail budget promises a hassle free ride and better amenities

Bandra Station

The infusion of funds into the railways promises not just a smooth and comfortable ride, but also better facilities. The pink book of the budget presented in Parliament on Wednesday holds money for more 15-car trains on the Western Railway slow line, a terminus at Jogeshwari, new roadbridges at Diva and Vikhroli, a new Kalyan-Kasara line, and a host of other new projects.

"The money necessary for all the old and new projects has come. Things will keep moving. You name a project and the allocation is here. The key now is to get these works moving on the ground," a senior official said.

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The Mumbai Urban Transport Projects (MUTP) 2, 3 and 3A have also got a significant amount of money, including Rs 244.92 crore for MUTP2, Rs 283.78 crore for MUTP 3 and Rs 50 crore for the yet to be sanctioned MUTP3A. This totals upto Rs 578.7 crore.

Money has also been given for the Belapur-Seawoods-Uran new line with an allocation of Rs 154 crore this year of the total sanctioned cost of Rs 1,764 crore.

Under the Rs 50 crore allocated for MUTP3A, the important project of procuring AC local trains for Mumbai has received a boost.

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Security matters

Money has also been allocated for Integrated Security System at 11 stations at a sanctioned cost of Rs 40.45 crore. Of this, Rs 2.21 crore is for Central Railway for the provision of CCTV systems in 10,349 coaches, including that of local trains, and for building a boundary wall near stations and its approaches.

In a move that will cheer heritage lovers in the city, the railway budget document released on Wednesday also allocated a sum of Rs 5.52 crore for the conservation and restoration of the heritage structure of the 131-year-old Bandra station building. The plan includes consultancy for the project and a memorandum of understanding with the BMC and the UNESCO. A senior official said that the project and a deal with UNESCO was signed in 2015 to restore the station to its former glory.

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Money the railways will spend for you

Western Railway

• Raising speed up to 160/200kmph on Mumbai-Delhi route Rs 500cr
• Extension of platforms on Andheri-Virar section for 15 car trains Rs 12cr
• Re-girdering of ROBs on Churchgate-Virar section Rs 31.0cr
• Replacement of Mobile Train Communication system and integration with MTRC Rs 2.5cr
• Various footbridge works on Churchgate-Virar section Rs 47cr
• Water Recycling plant at Bandra (T) Rs 2.73cr
• Integrated Security System Rs 18cr
• Development of second terminus at Jogeshwari - Rs 10 lakh
• Track Renewal works on Churchgate - Virar section Rs 23.50cr

Central Railway

• Kalyan-Kasara 3rd line 67.62 km sanctioned cost Rs 160cr
• CSMT extension of platform no.10-13 for 24 coaches Rs 4cr
• Diva - Road Over Bridge sanctioned cost Rs 6cr
• New rail coach factory at Latur Rs 200cr
• Panvel-Kalamboli coaching terminus phase-1, stage-1 Rs 89cr
• Vikhroli - Road Over Bridge sanction cost Rs 4cr in 2019-20
• Provision of 372 escalators Rs 28cr for Central Railway zone
• FOBs at Mumbai Division stations Rs 10cr

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