December 31, 2025: Maharashtra is set to strengthen its suburban and long-distance rail network with the Badlapur–Karjat quadrupling project, a key component of the Mumbai Urban Transport Project-3B (MUTP-3B). The project aims to segregate suburban and mainline rail traffic up to Karjat while enhancing capacity on the Mumbai–Chennai High Density Route, one of India’s busiest rail corridors.
The third and fourth railway lines between Badlapur and Karjat will span 32.46 km and are estimated to cost Rs 1,324 crore. According to the Mumbai Railway Vikas Corporation (MRVC), the project is expected to be completed within three to four years after land acquisition. Designed to address rising commuter volumes, the project will also support freight movement linked to upcoming ports, logistics hubs, and expanding suburban nodes across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR).
The Ministry of Railways has sanctioned the project following approval by the Cabinet Committee of Economic Affairs. It had earlier received consent from the Government of Maharashtra as part of the broader MUTP-3B proposal submitted by MRVC.
“The sanctioned project spans 32.46 km alongside the existing railway alignment, covering six key suburban stations: Badlapur, Vangani, Shelu, Neral, Bhivpuri Road, and Karjat. Approximately 37.79 hectares of private land will be required for execution, apart from government and railway land. The completion cost is assessed at Rs 1,324 crore, with funding to be shared equally between the Government of Maharashtra and Gross Budgetary Support from the Ministry of Railways,” said an official.
MRVC has been tasked with executing and delivering the project. “The project is designed to enhance capacity on the Mumbai–Chennai High Density Route, one of the busiest rail corridors supporting passenger mobility and rising freight movement linked to upcoming ports, logistics terminals, and expanding suburban nodes in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region,” the official added.
Rail capacity studies and mobility assessments indicate that the quadrupling will ease congestion, improve scheduling flexibility, enhance safety through boundary protection, and strengthen station-level mobility.
Commenting on the development, Vilas S. Wadekar, CMD, MRVC Ltd, said: “The Badlapur–Karjat quadrupling will result in complete segregation of mainline and suburban traffic in the Kalyan–Karjat section. The additional lines will support smoother movement of suburban commuters and mainline passengers, while enabling efficient freight operations on this high-density corridor. The project will further strengthen the safety and reliability of train operations in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region.”
