Delhi's Metro-men begin survey for high-speed CSMT-Thane line

Officials plan to conduct a passenger count at entry-exit points of CSMT and four other stations as part of the study

Movement has finally begun on an underground hi-speed suburban rail corridor on the 32-km stretch between Mumbai CSMT and Thane - a three-day feasibility study will be conducted at city stations from today. Entry-exit points of five major stations will be studied.

Sources said work of the study has been given out to the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation, and a team of officials will be making passenger count at entry-exit points of five major stations on CR between 6 am and 11 pm. The stations are CSMT, Dadar, Kurla, Ghatkopar and Thane.

The study at CSMT and other stations will start today

A senior official said this is a proposed hi-speed suburban corridor that is separate from the existing suburban railway system. "It will be a humongous project if it moves ahead. What has begun is a study to assess its utility and enormity. One needs a good amount of data, real-time statistics and counts before any planning begins," an official said.

He added that the plan is to have a parallel underground high-speed corridor, and the feasibility study will envisage the passenger count and other relevant data and projections for the same.

"The work has been sanctioned by the railway board, and entrusted to the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation. The Mumbai Rail Vikas Corporation (MRVC) is only the coordinating body," an MRVC official said. MRVC Chief Planning Officer and spokesperson Sanjay Singh confirmed the development and said MRVC was facilitating the project.

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