This will bring immense relief to Mumbai’s beleaguered railway commuters as it will reduce delays and halts along the tracks and facilitate a quicker commute.
The dedicated sixth railway line for long-distance trains between Goregaon and Kandivali stations on the Western Railway (WR) was opened on Tuesday, after 41 days of disruptions when work was underway. The Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS) has given his approval for the new railway track between these two stations, with 14 long-distance trains travelling on this stretch on Tuesday.
The new, 4.54-km sixth line and existing fifth line between Goregaon and Kandivali stations are an extension of the corridor from Bandra, which is already dedicated for long-distance trains. With the sixth line between Goregaon and Kandivali now open, there will be no overlap of suburban and long-distance trains between Bandra Terminus and Kandivali.
This will bring immense relief to Mumbai’s beleaguered railway commuters as it will reduce delays and halts along the tracks and facilitate a quicker commute.
While giving his nod to the sixth line, the CRS said in his ‘authorisation letter’ to the Western Railway that in order to run trains at 95 kmph on the Goregaon-Kandivali stretch, the latter would need to observe a 20-point stipulation.
In his letter, he said the WR would need to erect fencing or a boundary wall at a few locations, and action would have to be taken against encroachments close to the tracks. This would also prevent trespassing on the tracks, a safety hazard.