The Centre has sanctioned a massive Rs 52,724 crore for improving Mumbai’s suburban railway infrastructure under the Mumbai Urban Transport Project (MUTP) phases II, III and IIIA, Union Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said on Friday.
The projects include vital new lines, station upgrades, and increased suburban capacity to meet the city’s growing commuter needs, he said.
Vaishnaw shared that multiple projects under MUTP are in progress, including the 6th line between Mumbai Central and Borivali, extension of Harbour Line to Borivali, and the Panvel-Karjat suburban corridor.
The Mumbai Railway Vikas Corporation (MRVC) is executing key projects on a 50:50 cost-sharing basis with the Maharashtra government.
“Mumbai Railway Vikas Corporation (MRVC) remains steadfast in its commitment to transforming Mumbai’s suburban railway network through the implementation of MUTP projects. All necessary efforts are being consistently made to ensure satisfactory progress, with continued focus on commuter convenience, capacity enhancement, and long-term infrastructure sustainability,” Vilas Sopan Wadekar, Chairman & Managing Director, Mumbai Railway Vikas Corporation Ltd. told mid-day.
The railway minister further stated that significant progress is also being made on adding lines between Churchgate and Virar, and between CSMT and Panvel, aiming to ease congestion and improve travel times.
238 new 12-car rakes have been sanctioned under MUTP-III and IIIA at a cost of Rs 19,293 crore to enhance service capacity.
Mumbai Metro integration efforts are also ongoing, with Andheri East and Ghatkopar stations already connected.
Maharashtra has been allotted 132 stations under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme aimed at modernising and redeveloping key railway stations. Phase-I work is complete on 15 stations including Parel, Chinchpokli, Vadala Road, Matunga, and Shahad in Mumbai.
As of April 2025, 38 railway projects covering 5,098 km and worth Rs 89,780 crore are under planning or execution in the state. Already, 2,360 km have been commissioned with Rs 39,407 crore spent.
Between 2014 and 2025, an average of 208 km of new track was commissioned yearly — over three times more than the previous five-year period. The budget outlay has also increased significantly. From Rs 1,171 crore annually during 2009-14, it has jumped to Rs 23,778 crore in 2025-26.
The railway minister noted that factors like land acquisition, environmental clearances, and local conditions still influence project timelines.