Railways taps private players for stations on Panvel-Karjat route

Now, a single line runs through Chikhale between Panvel and Karjat

Seeking to capitalise on its local train network that has spurred infrastructure and overall development around stations, the railways has planned a suburban corridor between Karjat and Panvel by roping in private players. The new line is a part of the railways's efforts to reach untapped areas of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region. Under the plan, Chikhale, Mohape and Chouk stations will be upgraded with private finance, said officials.

Officials from the Mumbai Railway Vikas Corporation, the planning authority of Mumbai suburban railway, said work on the corridor - about 30 km - has already started, calling this a unique arrangement. In return, the private parties will get land for commercial use.

A top official said a single line now runs between Panvel and Karjat covering Panvel, Khalapur and Karjat talukas of Raigad district. "The line at present caters to goods and a few long-distance passenger trains. However, since the Navi Mumbai area, especially around Panvel, has witnessed significant urbanisation and population growth in recent years and that the area between Panvel and Karjat is also developing very fast, there is an increasing demand for extending the suburban train services to Karjat via Panvel," said the official.

As per the plan, the corridor will have double lines for the movement of local trains and work for earthwork and bridges has already started. "The new line will act as growth enhancer due to better connectivity and in order to tap the potential of commercial growth of the surrounding area likely after commissioning of the local train corridor, this plan has been worked out," he added.

"The party will be provided with encroachment-free land at stations for commercial development. The company will need to construct the station building as per the plan, including other service buildings, platforms, subways, etc., as per specifications. Only then it can explore the commercial viability of station premises on both sides for its own benefit, considering available spaces derived on the basis of extra floor area ratio to be made available by the Maharashtra government," he explained.