Railway Ministry permanently cancels ₹402 cr Mathura-Vrindavan project

The Railway Ministry has permanently closed its ambitious project for the conversion of the Mathura-Vrindavan railway line from metre gauge to broad gauge at an estimated cost of Rs 402 crore, terming it "uneconomical".

The North Central Railway (NCR) zone, which has jurisdiction over the Mathura-Virndavan section, had mooted a proposal a few months ago to terminate it permanently due to opposition from locals.

"The Proposal of North Central Railway regarding closure of the aforementioned uneconomical branch line of North Central Railway has been examined by the (Railway) Board. Accordingly, Competent Authority has approved permanent closure of Mathura Vrindavan section of Agra Division of North Central Railway," the Railway Ministry said in a letter dated June 6, addressed to the General Manager of the NCR zone.

It further said the decision has been taken with the concurrence of the Finance Directorate of the Ministry of Railways and asked the zone to initiate necessary action.

Railway officials associated with the project said the work on the rail link between the two cities started about two years ago and a significant amount of time and money had been spent on laying of tracks from both sides, Mathura as well as Vrindavan.

A section of experts also said the cancellation of the project posed a question mark on the Railways' foresight and planning and may cause a significant financial loss.

The Railway Board had sanctioned the conversion of the metre gauge rail line between Mathura and Vrindavan to broad gauge in 2017-18 at an estimated cost of Rs 402 crore.

A contract costing Rs 191 crore was awarded to a company, ISC, in February 2023, following which dismantling of the existing track and the process of laying the new track was started on March 31, 2023. The contractor was supposed to finish the work in two years by March 30, 2025.

Another contract costing Rs 38 crore for the construction of the station building at Krishna Janmabhoomi and Vrindavan, including platforms and foot-over bridges, was awarded to HOG Projects in May 2023.

The metre gauge track, constructed by the Britishers more than 100 years ago, was in operation with a one-coach rail bus that operated twice a day till early 2023. The service was stopped for the construction of the broad gauge.

The gauge conversion work was started from Vrindavan but local residents raised objections when the work began from the Mathura side in June 2023.

The railway officials said the locals used to cross the track easily as the metre gauge was at the ground level and the speed of the rail bus was also slow.

According to officials, the new track was supposed to be constructed on an embankment. The locals objected to it, saying they would find it inconvenient to cross the track easily as they used to do earlier.

On September 1, 2023, a meeting was held between senior officials, including those from the NCR zone, Mathura district magistrate, municipal commissioner, protesting residents and their representatives among others.

The majority of the residents demanded the construction of a road on the railway land instead of a broad gauge rail line.