MUMBAI: Work on the fifth and sixth lines between Thane-Diva is likely to get further delayed as Mumbai Railway Vikas Corporation (MRVC) has decided to abandon plans to lay tracks through a tunnel and instead opt for a viaduct alongside the existing tunnel in Mumbra.
The 9.9km Thane-Diva fifth and sixth lines were expected to be completed by March 2019. The Rs 287 crore project will segregate mail/express and suburban traffic between LTT and Kalyan. MRVC had planned a tunnel adjacent to the present one between Mumbra and Kalwa.
But MRVC has now decided to lay tracks over a viaduct. MRVC chairman and managing director Prabhat Sahai said, "We had to cut the hill to create space for laying tracks. But the existing tunnel is 100 metres long. We fear for the safety of the old tunnel and hence opted for a 1.4km viaduct." He said tenders will be floated soon and will be finalised within a month. Sahai said, "We expect work on the viaduct to be completed in a year."
MRVC had tried to appoint a contractor for this work through tenders but did not get any response.
A Central Railway official said, "The pace at which work is going on, it looks difficult that the line will be completed even by 2020. MRVC should have assessed the risk before beginning the project instead of changing the design during the last leg of the project."
Sahai said, "There were encroachments, so there was no right of way to build the viaduct. Now that the encroachments have been cleared, this is the best possible solution."
The viaduct is expected to cost around Rs 114 crore. Sources said, "CR and board officials are unhappy with the pace of work and the change of plan has upset them further."
DANGER ZONE
* Forest officials who recently conducted a joint survey following the Bombay high court orders in June had cautioned that the Parsik hills have suffered massive damage and warned against further encroachment on it
* Officials alleged that the rampant drilling or construction work on the hills could loosen soil and stones and make it prone to landslides
* Areas around the Parsik hills, including the Mumbra bypass road, have witnessed landslides in the past
* Last year, Central Railways services were affected between Kalwa and Mumbra on the slow line after a huge swathe of mud slid off the hills onto the tracks
* Residents had blamed it on the work on the new fifth and sixth lines
The 9.9km Thane-Diva fifth and sixth lines were expected to be completed by March 2019. The Rs 287 crore project will segregate mail/express and suburban traffic between LTT and Kalyan. MRVC had planned a tunnel adjacent to the present one between Mumbra and Kalwa.
But MRVC has now decided to lay tracks over a viaduct. MRVC chairman and managing director Prabhat Sahai said, "We had to cut the hill to create space for laying tracks. But the existing tunnel is 100 metres long. We fear for the safety of the old tunnel and hence opted for a 1.4km viaduct." He said tenders will be floated soon and will be finalised within a month. Sahai said, "We expect work on the viaduct to be completed in a year."
MRVC had tried to appoint a contractor for this work through tenders but did not get any response.
A Central Railway official said, "The pace at which work is going on, it looks difficult that the line will be completed even by 2020. MRVC should have assessed the risk before beginning the project instead of changing the design during the last leg of the project."
Sahai said, "There were encroachments, so there was no right of way to build the viaduct. Now that the encroachments have been cleared, this is the best possible solution."
The viaduct is expected to cost around Rs 114 crore. Sources said, "CR and board officials are unhappy with the pace of work and the change of plan has upset them further."
DANGER ZONE
* Forest officials who recently conducted a joint survey following the Bombay high court orders in June had cautioned that the Parsik hills have suffered massive damage and warned against further encroachment on it
* Officials alleged that the rampant drilling or construction work on the hills could loosen soil and stones and make it prone to landslides
* Areas around the Parsik hills, including the Mumbra bypass road, have witnessed landslides in the past
* Last year, Central Railways services were affected between Kalwa and Mumbra on the slow line after a huge swathe of mud slid off the hills onto the tracks
* Residents had blamed it on the work on the new fifth and sixth lines
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