More than three years after the launch of the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme, Mumbai’s Western Railway (WR) network is yet to see a single suburban station fully upgraded under the programme. In contrast, the Central Railway (CR) has completed renovation work at several stations, highlighting the difference in implementation progress between the two zones.
The nationwide initiative of the Ministry of Railways aims to transform more than 1,300 stations into modern transport hubs. In Mumbai, 38 suburban stations have been identified for improvements, including seven on the WR and five on the CR under the first phase.
The WR received an allocation of Rs 50 crore for upgrades at Marine Lines, Charni Road, Grant Road, Lower Parel, Prabhadevi, Malad and Jogeshwari. Planned facilities include improved toilets, drinking water arrangements, foot overbridges (FOBs), booking offices, signage and platform surfaces. Accessibility features such as Braille signage, ramps, tactile paths and specially marked platform edges are also part of the plan.
However, progress remains uneven. At Marine Lines and Charni Road, improvements are largely restricted to painting and new signboards. “Leakage problems at Lower Parel and Prabhadevi stations remain unresolved, while the circulating area at Jogeshwari continues to be in poor condition,” said Mansoor Darvesh, president, Passenger and Traffic Relief Association.
WR officials maintain that 92% of the work at Malad is complete, with February next year set as the target. At Marine Lines, construction of a 12-metre-wide FOB, lifts and other improvements is underway, although around 20% of the work remains pending.
Construction at several stations has been affected by space constraints, restricted working hours and underground utility networks. A senior WR official said, “We have divided the facilities into 20-25 segments. The tendering process takes time, and funds are being released gradually.”
Meanwhile, the CR has completed major renovation work at Chinchpokli, Matunga, Parel, Wadala Road and Shahad. Upgrades are also progressing at several other stations, while Dadar, Kandivali and Dahisar have been included in the WR’s second phase.
Source: Hindustan Times
