CR’s 5th and 6th line expansion stalled by land issues, bridge demolition delays

The expansion of the fifth and sixth lines on Central Railway (CR), for which the Sion bridge is being demolished, is facing several hurdles, including the acquisition of about 14,626 sq m of land between Kurla and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT). After the Sion connector is reconstructed a few years from now, the Dharavi road overbridge will be razed, officials said. “The Dharavi bridge has been put on the demolition list to make way for a wider and bigger connector, but the work will only be undertaken after completion of the Sion bridge,” an official said.

Six months after Sion bridge was shut in August, mid-day had highlighted how four trees and a toilet block were blocking the demolition of the structure. Railway authorities have written to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), asking that hurdles to the demolition be removed speedily. The mail express line corridor comprising the fifth and sixth lines that start from Kalyan and end at Vidyavihar is being extended to Parel in phase one and all the way to CSMT in phase two.

Line expansion

This expansion will lead to the segregation of suburban and outstation trains all the way from Kalyan to CSMT. About 37 railway structures, signalling and electrical infringements are yet to be shifted on the alignment while 714 project-affected people reside on land that is yet to be acquired. The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) is addressing their needs.

The harbour line platforms at Kurla will be shifted to an elevated level and the existing harbour line tracks will be converted into the fifth and sixth lines to maintain continuity. Mill land as well as the civic body and privately owned plots account for 14,626 sq m of land required to lay the new lines. While 5909.41 sq m of land belongs to the government, 8716.54 sq m is owned by private entities.