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Mumbai Plans Study on Underground Suburban Rail Links

2025-10-01

The Mumbai Railway Vikas Corporation Ltd (MRVC) has commissioned a feasibility study to explore transforming parts of South Mumbai’s busiest suburban rail stretches into underground alignments. The initiative aims to tackle chronic congestion in India’s financial capital while unlocking valuable railway land for better use.

Conducted with Central and Western Railways, the study will examine whether sections such as the Churchgate–Mumbai Central corridor — a 5 km link — can be moved underground before reconnecting at Mumbai Central. Another study will assess the construction of two new suburban lines between Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) and Parel, spanning about 8 km.

Plans also include developing an interchange hub at Byculla. Importantly, the project may not require private land acquisition, as the proposed alignments are expected to be developed on railway-owned land. The study will focus on easing congestion, freeing up prime parcels in South Mumbai, and improving integration with other transport modes.

International best practices from cities such as New York, London and Tokyo will guide the planning, with emphasis on blending underground and surface corridors. The study will also compare tunnel system designs, including twin-bore and multiple single-bore options, while assessing safe and practical construction methods.

A detailed cost–benefit and financial feasibility analysis will evaluate project costs against long-term economic advantages, shaping the way forward for Mumbai’s suburban rail modernisation.

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