MRVC Responds on Delays in Airoli-Kalwa Elevated Corridor Project

The urgent necessity of the long-awaited Airoli-Kalwa elevated corridor project has been underscored by a tragic statistic within Mumbai's suburban railway network. Between January 2024 and May 2024, a total of 623 railway commuters lost their lives, with 169 deaths attributed to overcrowding or falling from trains. This alarming figure highlights the immense strain on Mumbai's overburdened railway system, especially at Thane station, which caters to a staggering 800,000 to 1,000,000 passengers daily. Despite being announced a decade ago, the Airoli-Kalwa rail link project aimed at easing congestion at Thane station has yet to materialize. The Mumbai Railway Vikas Corporation (MRVC), responsible for the project, has pointed to challenges in rehabilitating and resettling slum dwellers as the primary reason for the prolonged delay.

MRVC Chief Public Relations Officer Sunil Udasi while talking to LokmatTimes.com said, "For the rehabilitation and resettlement of Project Affected Households (PAHs), 868 tenements had been earmarked by the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) at Bhayandarpada, Ghodbundar Road. Joint site verification by MRVC and MMRDA of 82 PAHs had been completed, and allotment of tenements to these 82 PAHs was given by MMRDA."

However, Udasi acknowledged that the process has been hindered by protests from dwellers and local representatives. "MMRDA informed that housing at Balkum has been earmarked in lieu of Bhayanderpada. Joint verification of 786 PAHs at Bhola Nagar and Shivaji Nagar is held up due to protest by dwellers/local representatives. Regular coordination meetings are held with MMRDA," he added.

In addition to being the 2nd largest Corporation in terms of population (18.19 lakh in 2011) in MMR, Thane Corporation is also a rail hub for the region, being at the intersection of the Central line and the Thane – Navi Mumbai line. An MRVC study highlighted that Thane station is the busiest railway station in India, handling more than 1000 trains every day. Furthermore, the project will benefit commuters from Kalyan, Badlapur, and Titwala on the Central Railway line, as they will no longer need to change at Thane station to take trans-harbour line services.

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As per a 2011 data released by MRVC, 50,000 passengers were plying between Airoli to Kalwa, and 32,000 passengers between Kalwa to Airoli daily, who in the absence of a direct link were changing the line at Thane, making the Thane junction congested.The situation is expected to worsen, with such figures projected to reach 1,00,000 daily in each direction by 2031. Hence providing a direct line connecting Airoli and Kalwa would not only decongest Thane junction but also decrease travel time for the passengers commuting from Navi Mumbai side to MMR region towards Kalwa and beyond. As a result such figures may even increase more due to potential mode shift. 5 minutes on train are saved plus changing train time in Thane (one train every 4 minutes plus one minute to change of train) for an average total of around 8 minutes.

The project, initially announced in 2014 and initiated in 2016, has encountered numerous challenges beyond the slum rehabilitation hurdles. Many slum dwellers have refused to shift to alternate housing provided by the authorities. “The project is closed due to MMRDA’s  refusal to take action against the slum lords who are encroaching on the land illegally. Political vote bank is more important for politicians rather than the interests of lakhs of commuters? Kalwa in Thane is crucial point due to high density and very low availability of trains,” told Siddhesh Desai, General Secretary of the Mumbai Rail Pravasi Sangh. 

Manish  Koparkar, member of Navi Mumbai Pravasi Sangh told LokmatTimes.com, “ Platform no. 9 and 10 of Thane railway station are over- congested. For an instance, commuters coming from Kalyan and going towards Navi Mumbai face of issues while changing the trains. They have to go all the way to platform 9/10 from platforms 3, 4 or 6 of Thane station. This requires a lot of time. The railway should construct two more tracks on the Trans Harbour line, connecting to the Kalwa-Airoli railway line. This would allow the congested Trans Harbour line to have a third and fourth track from Airoli to Panvel/Vashi. Which will de congest existing Trans Harbour line and will give smooth connectivity at interchanges.”

Nazim Ansari, Vice President, Mumbra Pravasi Sangh expressed that though the railway administration has completed the the Digha Gaon Railway Station, which is part of the Airoli-Kalwa corridor, the entire projects needs to be fastened as it can alleviate the burden on the overwhelmed Thane station and improve the overall commuting experience for the region's vast population.