2 new rail corridors to reduce Mumbai local delays

MUMBAI: With long-distance trains sharing rail lines with local ones, Mumbai’s suburban network often goes askew on account of delays in the former. Two new rail corridors on the Jalgaon-Manmad and Bhusawal-Khandwa routes will now set up a separate path for the 200-plus long-distance trains entering Mumbai daily on the Central Railway (CR) network. Work is already underway on two additional lines on the Kalyan-Asangaon-Kasara route.
On November 26, the union cabinet approved three multi-tracking railway projects in the corridors of Manmad-Jalgaon 4th line, Bhusawal-Khandwa 3rd & 4th lines, and Manikpur-Iradatganj 3rd line. The first two particularly will be a boon for Mumbai locals, said CR sources.
“The addition of new rail lines means that long-distance trains entering Mumbai need not halt in case of ongoing works on the tracks,” said a CR official. “They will get diverted to the proposed new lines and continue to operate as per schedule. Currently, if a long-distance train gets held up on these rail corridors for any reason, it gets late by four to six hours. This clashes with the running time of suburban trains, which then leads to delays and inconvenience to commuters.”
At present there are two rail lines on most parts of the corridors, and Bhusawal and Khandwa have become important intersections for long-distance trains connecting three to four different railway zones. This provides a path for trains coming into Mumbai on the CR network from Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, North-Eastern states, Bihar and Delhi.
On Tuesday, union railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced that the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by PM Narendra Modi, had approved the three rail projects at an approximate cost of ₹7,927 crore. “It will ease operations and reduce congestion, leading to much-needed infrastructure development on some of the busiest sections between Mumbai and Prayagraj,” he said.
Work on the new rail lines is expected to begin by next year and be completed in two to three years, after which the railways will be able to operate 15 additional trains and save about 15 crore litres of diesel per year. The lines will cover seven districts across Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh, and enhance the rail network by about 639 track km. The rail corridors will also improve access to UNESCO World Heritage sites like Khajuraho and the Ajanta-Ellora Caves as well as attractions like Devgiri Fort, Asirgarh Fort, Rewa Fort, Yawal Wildlife Sanctuary, Keoti Falls and Purwa Falls.