The completion date of a major railway project in Mumbai was pushed back from March 2021 to March 2024 due to serious planning errors, non-compliance with Railway Board (RB) norms, and delays in land acquisition, according to a critical audit. Of the Rs 500.9 crore spent, barely 26 percent of the work has been finished. The results, which were published on April 3, 2025, in the Comptroller and Auditor General’s (CAG) Audit Report on Union Government (Railways), identified a number of significant problems that have impeded the completion of this important infrastructure improvement.
The project, aimed at enhancing Mumbai’s railway infrastructure, was delayed due to an improperly prepared detailed estimate by Rail India Technical and Economic Service (RITES). The estimate failed to adhere to RB’s 2008 instructions, which emphasised limiting housing provisions to functional needs and justifying costs. This lack of proper planning delayed the approval process by the Railway Board, halting the project’s momentum.
Another significant setback noted in the audit is the failure to complete the Baseline Socio-Economic (BSE) survey for Phase I, which began in 2012. Despite over 11 years passing, the survey remains unfinished, significantly impeding progress. Furthermore, the rehabilitation of project-affected persons (PAPs) has been delayed, with housing units at Kilburn and Nahur still under construction, preventing the acquisition of necessary land.
The audit also highlighted non-compliance with Railway Board guidelines regarding land acquisition, which led to an inflated land assessment in the detailed estimate phase. This misstep resulted in further delays, particularly with land acquisition for Phase II, from Parel to CSMT, which is still in the early stages. Poor coordination between RITES and state government agencies exacerbated the delays, as did the awarding of contracts without finalised designs, clear sites, or sufficient planning. In particular, electrical and signal materials have remained unused due to premature contract awards.
Additional coordination issues were noted between the zonal railways, including a pending land transfer proposal from Western Railway to Central Railway, which has been delayed since December 2015. As of January 2024, this land transfer had still not been completed.
The project’s advancement has been seriously hampered by these crucial errors, which have also sparked worries about the future of Mumbai’s railway infrastructure upgrades. To guarantee the timely completion of major infrastructure projects, the audit emphasises the significance of careful planning, adherence to regulations, and improved agency collaboration.
Source: TOI
