22 November,2022 07:40 AM IST | Mumbai | Rajendra B. Aklekar
The stretch of land where the new platform at Badlapur station will come up
Work on a new platform at Badlapur station is all set to begin as the local municipal body has demolished shops and encroachments along the site of the proposed project, which had been in limbo. The Mumbai Railway Vikas Corporation (MRVC) is handling the work.
"Things progressed well along the 185-metre stretch where land was available. But work on an 85-metre strip had been stranded as it was government land belonging to the Kulgaon Badlapur Municipal Corporation (KBMC). Land acquisition had to be done and there were shops and an auto stand on the stretch. With the acquisition process now complete, the corporation has now begun the demolition process. Once it is complete and the land is handed over to us, work can be completed in six months," said MRVC Chief Public Relations Officer Sunil Udasi.
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Officials said the standard length of the platform is 270 metre, of which about 90 metre belonged to Railways and 95 metre to private parties. The latter stretch had been acquired earlier, but an 85-metre strip that was with local government was left to be acquired.
During a comprehensive audit of major stations in and around Mumbai carried out by mid-day a few years ago, it was learnt that Badlapur station needed an upgrade. Work had begun at other stations but it had been delayed at Badlapur due to land acquisition issues. This paper also highlighted last year how an auto stand and a few shops had been delaying the project.
"The plan has been to build a new platform on the west side so that the existing platform no. one becomes a double-discharge platform like those at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus, Churchgate and Parel stations, where passengers can alight and board from either side of the platform. This will help ease the load on the existing platform. The new platform will also have a bridge landing," the official explained.
