AC suburban trains project hits roadblock

Mumbaikars will have to wait a few more years to travel in airconditioned comfort in suburban trains in the face of the tussle between the Maharashtra government and the Railways over funding of the Rs 4,500 crore Phase-II modernisation programme.

Mumbai Rail Vikas Corporation (MRVC), a 51:49 venture between the railway ministry and the Maharashtra government, had proposed to take up the project as part of the three phase modernisation of suburban railway infrastructure.

MRVC had earlier proposed to run aircondition trains in the suburban lines after completion of the Phase-II work, which includes laying 88 kms of additional tracks, converting the entire DC track kms to AC, adding 96 additional 9-car EMU rakes.

The five-year phase-II project was originally to start in 2007. MRVC officials now say they are not sure when the project will take off in the face of the tussle.

Airconditioned coach project was to be taken up after completion of phase two.

Overcrowding in the Mumbai suburban train lines has grown to such an extent that 5,000 passengers are travelling per nine-car train during peak hours, as against the rated carrying capacity of just 1,750.

MRVC plans to bring down the passengers per nine coach train to 3,000 as against 5,000 in Phase-II.

"If we can bring down the number to 3,000, we will be able to run aircondition trains in the suburban lines," MRVC Managing Director P C Sehgal said.

Meanwhile, Rs 3,125 crore phase-I of the infrastructure improvement work is currently on and the MRVC authorities believe that the project would be completed by June, 2009. "There is a string of procedures to follow before the phase-II work can actually be flagged off," he said.

The Railways and the state government were to share half of the project cost and the remaining has to be funded though loans. But Maharashtra government was now not willing to provide its share.

The state government wants the entire amount required for the project be raised through levy of surcharge travelling suburban public.