Two decades of rebuilding Mumbai’s suburban railway
Rajendra B. Aklekar
Mumbai’s suburban railway has been rebuilt in stages for more than two decades under the something called the Mumbai Urban Transport Project (MUTP), and the transformation has been a continuous process. Keeping the lifeline of Mumbai operational, several of its most important interventions have been quietly yet firmly completed—from track expansion and AC conversion to new trains and station upgrades—some of the next-generation capacity projects remain under construction, with deadlines stretching as far as 2029.
Launched in 2002, when Mumbai’s suburban railway was operating under severe capacity pressure, the MUTP set out to do something more fundamental than simply add trains: expand the railway’s physical capacity.
The new Karjat station on the Panvel-Karjat suburban corridor
Over the years, the programme has added new tracks, longer trains, electrical infrastructure, stations, stabling facilities and maintenance assets. It has also enabled the conversion of the suburban network from 1,500V DC to 25kV AC and supported the expansion of services into areas that were increasingly becoming part of Mumbai’s commuter belt.
Currently in phase 3, the project is now focused on a different challenge: creating enough additional tracks to segregate suburban and long-distance traffic and opening new corridors to relieve saturated routes.
Here is the status of the major MUTP interventions.
MUTP Phase I: The foundation has largely been completed
The first phase, implemented from 2002 to 2011, tackled some of the most immediate capacity constraints on the Western, Central and Harbour networks.
5th line, Mahim–Borivali — COMPLETED
An additional line was created on the heavily utilised Western Railway corridor, providing greater operational flexibility and capacity.
5th and 6th lines, Kurla–Thane — COMPLETED
The addition of two lines on this critical Central Railway section helped separate traffic and improve the movement of suburban and other services.
Extra pair, Borivali–Bhayandar; Virar car shed; Virar–Dahanu works — COMPLETED
These works expanded infrastructure on the northern Western Railway corridor and supported the growth of suburban services beyond Virar.
Network optimisation on Western, Central and Harbour lines — COMPLETED
Various works were undertaken to improve utilisation and operational efficiency across the three suburban systems.
1,500V DC to 25kV AC conversion — COMPLETED
One of the biggest technological changes under MUTP was the conversion of Mumbai’s suburban railway electrical system to the national 25kV AC standard.
New EMUs, stabling lines and track machines — COMPLETED
The programme also funded new suburban trainsets and maintenance and stabling infrastructure, strengthening the system’s ability to operate a larger fleet.
MUTP Phase II: Several big-ticket projects delivered
The second phase continued the capacity-building programme, with most of its major interventions now complete.
5th and 6th tracks, CSMT-Parel–Kurla — UNDER PROGRESS
This remains one of the important unfinished works in the Phase II portfolio. The additional lines are intended to ease one of Central Railway’s most heavily loaded sections in phases, first till Parel and then till CSMT.
6th track, Mumbai Central–Borivali — COMPLETED
The additional line has strengthened capacity on the Western Railway corridor and helped provide greater flexibility for segregating different categories of services.
5th and 6th tracks, Thane–Diva — COMPLETED
The additional tracks have substantially strengthened the Central Railway corridor and improved operational flexibility.
Harbour Line extension, Andheri–Goregaon — COMPLETED
The extension brought Harbour Line services deeper into the western suburbs and improved east-west connectivity.
25kV AC conversion — COMPLETED
The suburban network’s conversion to 25kV AC was completed as part of the broader MUTP transformation, making Mumbai’s railway seamless with that of the nation.
Station improvements and trespass-control works — COMPLETED
Station infrastructure was upgraded while interventions were made to address the persistent problem of trespassing along railway corridors.
EMU procurement and stabling — COMPLETED
Additional rolling stock and associated stabling infrastructure were created to support the expanded network. The new Siemens and Bombardier ones that came in with this
Rehabilitation and Resettlement (R&R) and MRVC strengthening — COMPLETED
R&R and institutional strengthening were important components of MUTP, given that railway expansion often required land and relocation of families living along railway corridors. It started from settlements at Kanjurmarg going to Mankhurd and then elsewhere.
MUTP-III and IIIA: The next battle is capacity
The latest phase of MUTP is increasingly about creating entirely new capacity rather than simply improving existing infrastructure.
Five major projects show where Mumbai’s suburban railway stands today.
1. Panvel–Karjat New Suburban Railway Corridor
STATUS: NEARING COMPLETION | Target: December 2026
The 29.6-km double-line Panvel–Karjat corridor is among the most significant new suburban rail projects under MUTP-III.
Sanctioned cost: Rs. 2,782 crore
Major civil works have substantially been completed. All major and minor bridges, five ROBs, 16 RUBs and tunnel excavation and final lining works are complete. The Panvel and Karjat Rail Flyovers have also been completed, with track linking now under way.
Track work is well advanced, with 67.2 km of track linking completed against 69.70 km. Ballast-bed formation has been completed over about 60 km.
The new Panvel station building is operational, while Chikhale and Mohape station buildings have been completed. Work at Chowk and Karjat stations is in advanced stages.
Signalling has also moved into the final stages, with Factory Acceptance Tests and Site Acceptance Tests for electronic interlocking at Mohape and Chowk completed.
The project is targeted for completion by December 2026.
Once operational, it will provide an alternative suburban route towards Karjat and strengthen the rail connection between Navi Mumbai, Karjat, Raigad and adjoining growth areas.
2. Virar–Dahanu Road Quadrupling
STATUS: 64% COMPLETE | Target: 2028
This is one of the most important capacity projects on the northern Western Railway corridor. The project entails not just expansion, but upgrading existing corridor as well and in the near future add more stations as well.
Sanctioned cost: Rs. 3,578 crore
As of July 2026, physical progress has reached 64%.
Civil works are moving rapidly, with around 30.35 lakh cubic metres of earthwork and 2.48 lakh cubic metres of blanketing completed. Four RUBs, one ROB, 13 major bridges and 54 minor bridges have been completed.
The project is also delivering visible changes at Virar.
Platforms 3A and 4A have been widened from 6.5 metres to 10 metres and extended by 60 metres to accommodate 15-car suburban trains. The work is complete and 15-car EMU services between Virar and Dahanu Road have already commenced.
The new station building and elevated deck at Virar are under construction, with 36 columns erected, 160 girders launched and around 2,000 sq m of deck slab cast.
Works are also progressing at Vaitarna, Saphale, Kelve Road, Palghar, Umroli, Boisar, Vangaon and Dahanu Road.
The end goal is significant: two additional railway lines between Virar and Dahanu Road, substantially increasing capacity on a corridor witnessing rapid development.
Current status: 64% physical progress; target completion 2028.
3. Airoli–Kalwa Elevated Suburban Corridor
STATUS: 45% COMPLETE | Land acquisition and R&R remain the key hurdle
Sanctioned cost: Rs. 476 crore
The Airoli–Kalwa corridor is strategically different from the line-expansion projects. It is intended to create a direct suburban link between the Trans-Harbour and Central Railway networks.
Phase I has already been completed. This included the new Digha Gaon station and associated works that did not require land acquisition or R&R.
Digha Gaon station was commissioned on January 12, 2024.
Phase II—the elevated corridor between Airoli and Kalwa—is dependent on land acquisition and rehabilitation.
Of the 2.40 hectares required, 1.87 hectares of government land has been acquired, while acquisition of the remaining 0.53 hectares of private land is under process.
The bigger challenge is R&R with local politicians creating hurdles.
Of 868 rehabilitation tenements earmarked at Balkum, Thane, R&R for 82 project-affected households has been completed.
For the remaining 786 affected persons/households, joint verification of 350 households at Bhola Nagar has been completed and allotment is under process. Physical verification of another 436 affected persons at Shivaji Nagar remains pending because of resistance from some residents and local representatives.
The project is therefore a classic example of how land acquisition and rehabilitation, rather than engineering, can determine the pace of a major Mumbai transport project.
Once complete, Phase II is expected to take 36 months after complete land acquisition.
4. Borivali–Virar 5th and 6th Lines
STATUS: 30% COMPLETE | Target: 2029
Sanctioned cost: Rs. 2,184 crore
The Borivali–Virar corridor is among Mumbai’s most heavily utilised suburban stretches. The addition of fifth and sixth lines is therefore critical to creating space for more suburban services while allowing better segregation of suburban and other trains.
The project has achieved 30% physical progress.
Land acquisition remains an important component. Possession of 11.929 hectares of salt-pan land at Umelman, Vasai, has been obtained, while processes for the remaining land are continuing. Forest and mangrove clearances have been secured.
Railway structure relocation at Dahisar, Mira Road, Bhayander, Naigaon, Nallasopara and Vasai Road is either complete or at an advanced stage.
Work is also under way on FOBs and platforms at Dahisar, Naigaon and Nallasopara, along with three major bridges, three minor bridges and an ROB.
Target completion: 2029.
The project is expected to provide much-needed additional capacity on the Western Railway’s saturated northern suburban corridor and facilitate better segregation of suburban and long-distance traffic.
5. Kalyan–Badlapur 3rd and 4th Lines
STATUS: 52% COMPLETE | Target: 2028
Sanctioned cost: Rs. 1,510 crore
The Kalyan–Badlapur corridor is another Central Railway bottleneck where additional lines are being created to handle growing suburban demand.
The project has reached 52% progress.
Thirty-one bridges have been completed and around 1.60 lakh cubic metres of earthwork has been executed.
ROB work at LC-1A and MIDC has been completed and commissioned, while work at LC-4/C and LC-7 is progressing.
At Chikhloli station, civil works on the station and service buildings are substantially complete. FOBs, platforms, the cover over platform and approach road are under construction.
Platform extensions and COP works at Vitthalwadi, Ulhasnagar and Ambernath have been completed. Two FOBs at Ulhasnagar are also at an advanced stage, with all 29 girders launched and deck slabs cast.
Target completion: 2028.
On completion, the additional lines are expected to improve capacity and operational flexibility and allow smoother movement of suburban and long-distance trains on the Kalyan–Badlapur section.
The MUTP report card
| Project / Intervention | Status | Target |
| Mahim–Borivali 5th line | Completed | — |
| Kurla–Thane 5th & 6th lines | Completed | — |
| Borivali–Bhayandar extra pair | Completed | — |
| Virar car shed / Virar–Dahanu works | Completed | — |
| Network optimisation | Completed | — |
| DC–AC conversion | Completed | — |
| New EMUs / stabling / track machines | Completed | — |
| CSMT–Kurla 5th & 6th lines | Under progress | — |
| Mumbai Central–Borivali 6th line | Completed | — |
| Thane–Diva 5th & 6th lines | Completed | — |
| Andheri–Goregaon Harbour extension | Completed | — |
| Station improvements / trespass control | Completed | — |
| EMU procurement / stabling | Completed | — |
| R&R / MRVC strengthening | Completed | — |
| Panvel–Karjat new corridor | Nearing completion | Dec 2026 |
| Virar–Dahanu quadrupling | 64% | 2028 |
| Airoli–Kalwa elevated corridor | 45% | 36 months after complete land acquisition |
| Borivali–Virar 5th & 6th lines | 30% | 2029 |
| Kalyan–Badlapur 3rd & 4th lines | 52% | 2028 |
Rajendra B. Aklekar 