After a long wait of over 25 years, the train service on the Seawoods-Kharkopar-Uran rail corridor is finally slated to begin by end of July 2023. The completion of this much-delayed project is of utmost importance for the rapidly expanding Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) and its proximity to the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (MTHL). Minister of State for Railways, Raosaheb Danve, confirmed the imminent opening of the rail line all the way up to Uran in the next 8-10 days.
The project monitoring division of the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation had identified the Seawoods-Kharkopar-Uran rail corridor as one of the state’s most delayed, with a significant time overrun of 216 months. The whole rail track up to Uran was finished in March by the Central Railway (CR). However, the inauguration of the second phase of the Kharkopar-Uran corridor, covering a distance of 14.3 km, awaits the presence of political dignitaries.
Once operational, the CR will be able to run local trains on the 26.7-km Belapur-Seawoods-Uran rail line, known as the Fourth Corridor. Earlier this year, the rail authorities conducted trials of local trains and certified a speed of 70 km/h on the corridor. The Commissioner of Railway Safety has also declared the Kharkopar-Uran stretch fit for train operations.
Currently, the CR operates local train services between Belapur/Uran and Kharkopar. The project was executed in two phases, with the first phase covering 12.4 km between Nerul/Belapur and Kharkopar opening for passengers in November 2018, and the second phase, spanning the remaining 14.3 km, now ready for operation.
The completion of this corridor will play a crucial role in connecting the upcoming Navi Mumbai Airport, benefiting commuters traveling to the MTHL and Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust. It would take travelers around one hour and forty-five minutes to get from CSMT to Uran once the full line is operating. The corridor will comprise five stations, namely Gavhanpada, Ranjanpada, Nhava-Sheva, Dronagiri, and Uran. It will feature two major bridges, 41 minor bridges, two road under-bridges, and four road overbridges.
The project has faced numerous missed deadlines in the past, with opposition from surrounding villages regarding compensation issues causing delays. Initially estimated at around ₹495 crore, the project’s current cost has escalated to approximately ₹2,970 crore. Work on this rail project commenced in 1996-97.
Presently, the CR operates 40 services using two 12-car trains, serving an average of 38,000 to 40,000 commuters daily. The forthcoming commencement of the Seawoods-Kharkopar-Uran rail corridor is set to enhance connectivity and ease travel for the residents of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region.