The Railways has once again blamed the state government for the delay in the execution of the much-awaited Churchgate-Virar elevated corridor. It has claimed that the `20,000-crore project is currently stalled because the state government has not signed the state support agreement (SSA) using which the development plans of the corridor can then be chalked out. “We are looking for the state to sign the SSA, so that we can go ahead with the bidding process. Presently, everything is just stalled,” said Subodh Jain, member of Railway Board (electrical) in Mumbai.
He added, “Even before, the Railway had given up on the idea of this corridor, the state followed up the matter and forced us to rethink, bringing the corridor back on the table. We then discussed it at the ministry level, but if it was finalised. I fail to understand why the state government has not been able to sign the project.” He further said that the Railways had done its job, and now the onus lies with the state.
However, Mr Jain was hopeful of a positive outcome very soon, and said that where multiple agencies are involved, such delays are quite normal. Earlier, in April, then rail minister Pawan Kumar Bansal had also shown dissatisfaction over the state government’s delay in pushing for the project.
The corridor was conceptualised in 2008 by then rail minister Lalu Prasad Yadav, but the final technical feasibility report for this elevated corridor was only accepted in January 2012. This corridor will have 26 stations between Churchgate and Virar, in which five stations have been proposed to be underground, 19 elevated and two at ground level. This project is the Railways’ first and India’s largest public-private-partnership initiative. While the Railways will operate the project after its completion, the building and laying the tracks, the private company will handle its operative parts.