MCZMA CLEARS QUADRUPLING OF WR’S VIRARDAHANU LINE

MUMBAI: In a major boost for connectivity of the extended suburbs on the Western Line, the Maharashtra Coastal Zone Management Authority (MCZMA) has cleared the quadrupling of the Virar-dahanu line.

It will enable Western Railway to increase the services on the route and also improve their speed as four lines would help segregate suburban and outstation train traffic.

The project will add two rail lines to the existing two lines on the Virar-dahanu route in the Palghar district under the Mumbai Urban Transport Project III. It is being implemented by the Mumbai Railway Vikas Corporation Limited, a joint venture of the Railways and Maharashtra government. It was cleared in the MCZMA meeting on November 10 and the minutes were finalised two days back. The project is estimated for completion by December 2025.

The suburban railway network of the Western Railway has been extended to Dahanu and the ministry of railways wanted a dedicated corridor for outstation trains.

The corridor from Churchgate to Virar consists of minimum quadruple lines, while Virar Dahanu road has only double lines.

At present, EMU (Electric Multiple Units) ply up to Virar Dahanu Road (63.80 km). As the existing double-line corridor is over-saturated, it is not possible to increase the number of suburban services in this section. Therefore, it is decided to lay one additional pair of lines in this section, said a state official.

The alignment of the proposed corridor is planned on the west side and parallel to the existing line. It will involve minimum land acquisition and diversion of bare minimum forest land as a major part of the land required for the project is existing Railway land.