Central Railway has sought approval from the Centre to divert approximately 6.5 hectares of forest land in the Thane and Shahapur forest divisions for a proposed fourth railway line between Kalyan and Asangaon. The 32.23-km project, estimated to cost Rs 1,619.96 crore, aims to improve capacity along a heavily used railway corridor.
The application has been submitted through the Centre’s Parivesh portal. The project’s expenditure will be shared equally by the Railways and the Maharashtra government. Under the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980, as amended, central approval is required before forest land can be used for non-forestry activities.
The Kalyan–Asangaon section currently operates two electrified tracks, while construction of a third line is underway. These tracks accommodate suburban local trains, long-distance passenger services and freight operations, leaving limited room to introduce additional services or manage disruptions efficiently.
The stretch beyond Kalyan, particularly areas beyond Ambernath, continues to face capacity constraints as suburban and long-distance trains share the available infrastructure. The proposed fourth line is part of Central Railway’s broader efforts to strengthen the network and ease congestion.
According to project documents, the new track will largely run parallel to existing and proposed railway lines. The alignment has been planned to make maximum use of the Railways’ existing right of way, reducing the need to acquire additional land.
The route will cover Kalyan, Shahad, Ambivli, Titwala, Khadavali, Vasind and Asangaon. Railway yards at Kalyan, Titwala, Khadavali, Vasind and Asangaon are also expected to be connected to the additional track.
Project documents state that diverting forest land is necessary because moving the alignment away from the existing railway corridor is considered impractical and could increase land requirements. Non-forest land has been utilised wherever feasible to limit the area requiring diversion.
Once implemented, the fourth line is expected to provide additional capacity for local, express and freight trains. Securing forest clearance remains an important step before the project can advance further.
Source: The Free Press Journal
