The long-awaited upgrade of Virar railway station is moving steadily towards completion, with railway authorities confident that the revamped layout will significantly ease congestion and boost suburban rail capacity on the busy western corridor. The redesigned station will feature five platforms aligned in a single row, an unusual configuration driven by severe space constraints on both the eastern and western sides of the station.
“There are space constraints at Virar on either side, in the east and west. Hence, we have decided to move southwards to build the two new platforms – nos. 1 and 2 on the west side, and no. 9 on the east side. With the new layout, it will result in a row of five platforms if we add the existing ones in a line. The remodelling of Virar station has been planned to ease congestion and accommodate 15-coach trains on the Virar-Dahanu route. Key improvements include the construction of new platforms at the south-end, a new platform no. 5A, expansion of platforms 3A/4A, and improved infrastructure to boost capacity by 25%,” said an official.
A major highlight of the project is an elevated deck that will run above the platforms and extend outside the station, improving passenger circulation. This deck will be connected to a proposed autorickshaw parking deck being developed by the Vasai-Virar Municipal Corporation, similar to the SATIS-style public transport integration seen at Thane station.
“Platform 3A is being widened to 10 metres from the existing 6-metre width with a double-discharge facility on the west side to handle higher commuter volume, along with a home platform. There are upgrades focusing on enabling 15-car suburban trains to operate on the Virar-Dahanu corridor and the station modernisation also includes a new station deck for better passenger movement. The overall projected benefits include increased capacity for suburban trains and reduced crowding,” an official said.
Rail enthusiast Saurabh Raut, who has been documenting the project, said, “I have been watching the ongoing works at Virar, which are of a massive scale and have been split into phases for less inconvenience to commuters. It is interesting to document changes happening as the works are getting completed.”
The station upgrade is part of the quadrupling of the Virar–Dahanu Road section under MUTP Phase 3, being executed by MRVC. With a sanctioned cost of Rs 3,578 crore, the project has achieved 47% physical progress and is expected to transform commuter experience on the northern suburban network.
Source: Mid-day
