Two termini, MUTP III funds are expected ahead of Budget 2017

Mumbai: Kalyan terminus and Thakurli terminus, which are estimated to cost Rs 750 crore and Rs 1,600 crore respectively, are expected to decongest the mainline by opening up more space for services. Along with these two major terminuses around Rs 100-crore in funding for the Mumbai Urban Transport Project (MUTP) III is expected to be released in the Union budget in which the railway budget has been included from this year.

Kalyan terminus in particular will help by joining the 5th and 6th line that currently runs between Lokmanya Tilak Terminus (LTT) to Thane where long-distance and goods trains run. An official said, “The plan provides four new platforms at Kalyan, which will allow us to run long-distance train all the way between LTT to Kalyan and thereby not disturb the suburban railways.” He further said, “As a result we will be able to either divert the train from Kalyan to either the Karjat or Kasara section accordingly.”

Officials also hope that the initial amount of Rs 100 crore will be released for the recently sanctioned MUTP III in the budget. This will enable the Mumbai railways to begin work on the almost Rs 11,000 crore project.

When asked about what the Mumbai Rail Vikas Corporation (MRVC) is hopeful about in this budget, chief managing director Prabhat Sahai said, “We don’t know exactly what amount of the MUTP III funds will be sanctioned on the budget day.” He added, “We can only wait and see if the minister has taken into account the items from the wish list from Mumbai.”