Mumbai’s long-standing railway congestion on the northern stretch of the Western Railway network is set to ease as construction advances on new bridges across the Vaitarna River. The development is part of the Rs 3,578-crore Virar–Dahanu quadrupling project being undertaken by the Mumbai Railway Vikas Corporation (MRVC).
For more than 160 years, the railway corridor connecting Mumbai with destinations towards northern India has largely depended on just two tracks. This limited infrastructure has constrained capacity and restricted the scope for expanding train services along the route.
The ongoing project aims to address this historic limitation by adding two railway lines between Virar and Dahanu, significantly improving the capacity of the suburban and long-distance rail network.
A key component of the expansion involves constructing bridges across the tidal Vaitarna River. The South Vaitarna bridge has now been completed, marking an important achievement in the project’s progress. Meanwhile, work on the corresponding North Vaitarna bridge is approaching a crucial stage.
These structures are considered essential to extending the additional railway lines across the river and ensuring smoother train movement along the corridor.
The quadrupling initiative is expected to strengthen connectivity between Mumbai and the northern suburbs, while providing greater operational flexibility to Western Railway. The additional tracks could help accommodate more train services, reduce pressure on the existing infrastructure and improve the movement of both suburban and long-distance trains.
The project is scheduled to reach completion in 2028, according to the report. Once the new infrastructure becomes operational, the expanded corridor is expected to address a railway capacity constraint that has existed for generations.
The completion of the South Vaitarna bridge and progress on its northern counterpart represent significant steps towards modernising this important railway stretch and improving connectivity beyond Virar.
Source: Mid-day
