Western Railway has removed 28 encroachments from its land on the eastern side of Ram Mandir station in Mumbai to facilitate the construction of the fifth and sixth railway lines between Borivali and Virar. The demolition operation took place on Tuesday with assistance from the Railway Protection Force (RPF), city police and railway personnel.
The drive involved 43 RPF personnel, five city police officers, staff from relevant railway departments and 22 contractor workers. A JCB machine was deployed to clear the encroached areas.
The action forms part of Western Railway’s wider efforts to remove obstacles affecting infrastructure development and increase the capacity of Mumbai’s suburban rail network. Officials believe that clearing railway land is essential for advancing projects requiring additional space for tracks, station upgrades and terminal facilities.
Encroachments have remained a challenge for railway authorities undertaking expansion work across Mumbai and surrounding areas. Removing unauthorised structures can help make the land required for planned infrastructure projects available and support smoother execution of construction activities.
Inspections underway across the region
A railway official said inspections are also being conducted at other sensitive locations across Mumbai and the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) to identify encroachments on railway property. Further action will be taken at sites where obstructions are discovered.
The latest operation at Ram Mandir station is part of this broader initiative to clear railway land and enable planned infrastructure improvements.
Borivali–Virar project aims to improve capacity
The proposed fifth and sixth lines between Borivali and Virar are intended to expand capacity along Western Railway’s suburban corridor, which serves a large number of daily commuters.
The additional tracks are expected to improve the management and separation of train movements while creating opportunities to operate more services. However, the benefits will depend on the completion of associated infrastructure and the implementation of suitable operational arrangements.
With passenger demand continuing to place pressure on Mumbai’s suburban railway system, clearing land for expansion remains an important step towards improving the network’s ability to accommodate growing travel requirements.
Western Railway’s latest demolition drive is aimed at removing physical barriers that could delay the implementation of these critical infrastructure projects across the Mumbai region.
Source: The Free Press Journal
