Title - WR seeks state govt support for Virar-Churchgate elevated corridor

Western Railway (WR) officials conducted a presentation of the Virar-Churchgate elevated corridor in front of a few cabinet ministers on Tuesday. The proposal for the cabinet approval is expected to be moved in a few weeks.

WR has sought the state’s help for the additional floor space index (FSI), shifting of utilities, land acquisition and rehabilitation of the people who will be affected by the project.

The Railways are upset at the state government’s delay in signing a State Support Agreement (SSA). During the presentation, railway officials insisted on four key components. They demanded that adequate FSI be given for the commercial exploitation of the area and to make the project feasible. They have demanded an FSI of upto 5.

The project has proposed the acquisition of 13.11 hectares of land, including 2.73 hectares that belongs to private owners. They also informed the state government that residents from three to four buildings adjacent to the corridor will have to be rehabilitated and asked the government to shoulder this responsibility.

The state government is expected to move the proposal for the SSA with the railways before the cabinet in a few weeks. A minister said the FSI and rehabilitation issue will be sorted out by then.

The Rs19,513-crore project between Virar and Oval Maidan will be 60.30 km long and have 26 stations. The state government was also told that the cost of the project will now inflate to Rs24,717 crore.

Six bidders, including Reliance, GMR Infra, L&T and Gammon India, have so far responded to the request for a quotation.