After prolonged delays caused largely by land acquisition and regulatory hurdles, two major suburban car shed projects in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region are finally moving ahead, marking a key step in preparing for an expanded local train fleet.
The Mumbai Railway Vikas Corporation (MRVC) is developing new EMU car sheds at Vangaon on the Western Railway and Bhivpuri Road on the Central Railway under the Mumbai Urban Transport Project (MUTP) 3A. The combined project cost stands at Rs 2,353 crore.
For the Bhivpuri Road facility, land acquisition has been fully completed. A total of 45.24 hectares has been secured, comprising 42.28 hectares of private land and 2.96 hectares of government land. MRVC confirmed that tenders for land development works—such as bridge extensions, boundary walls, drainage systems and internal roads—have been finalised. A Letter of Acceptance has been issued, and on-ground development has commenced, signalling the beginning of physical execution.
At Vangaon, 43.68 hectares are required, of which 40.04 hectares fall under forest land. Acquisition has advanced significantly, with joint measurements completed and statutory notifications under Sections 20A and 20E published. A major milestone was achieved on February 6, 2026, when Stage I forest clearance was granted, enabling the long-pending project to move forward.
“These new carsheds at Bhivpuri and Vangaon are not standalone assets but are integrally linked to the procurement and lifecycle maintenance of 2,856 AC EMU Vande Metro suburban coaches. They will serve as the backbone infrastructure for maintaining the next generation fleet, ensuring higher reliability, quicker turnaround of rakes, and safer, more efficient suburban operations for Mumbai’s commuters,” said Sunil Udasi, Chief Public Relations Officer, MRVC.
The Vangaon shed will support the Virar–Dahanu quadrupling project on the Western Railway, while the Bhivpuri Road facility aims to ease pressure on existing sheds at Matunga, Kurla and Kalwa, strengthening capacity across the suburban rail network.
Sourc: The Indian Express
