What Mumbai hopes to get from the Railway Minister

Close to 60 lakh Mumbaikars commute via local trains that are woefully overcrowded. Railway Ministers’ budgets are often followed keenly in the city with the hope that something may be done to ease their burden and this year will be no different. Among the announcements Mumbaikars can expect from the Railway Minister include: 1. Elevated train service on the suburban line: The promise of an elevated railway line to link Churchgate in south Mumbai to Virar, the farthest suburb on Mumbai’s Western Railways, has been pending since 2007. The state government has already granted approval for the project which is expected to cost around Rs 15,000 crore. Running above the existing railway line it is hoped the project will ease the travelling woes of the approximately 30 lakh commuters on Western Railways. However, even if approved today it could take many years before the project is completed. [caption id=“attachment_243263” align=“alignleft” width=“380” caption=“Better amenities, air-conditioned trains and elevated railways are some of the things Mumbaikars will hope for. Reuters”]  [/caption] 2. Longer trains on the Harbour Line:  For daily commuters from the satellite town of Navi Mumbai the announcement from the Railway Minister could bring smiles to their faces. The Harbour Line has been running nine coach trains and the advent of 12 coach trains would mean more passenger carrying capacity thereby making their approximately hour long journey to the city’s southern tip a little more comfortable. 3. An increase in fares: Tickets to ride on Mumbai’s suburban railways could get costlier as the government tries to recover the costs of carrying out modernisation works. Surcharges that were to be levied on passenger fares due to modernisation of trains and other systems were supposed to be carried out every three years since 2003. Given the reaction higher fares usually evoke, the government and railway authorities have avoided it. It remains to be seen if the Railway Minister who has ruled out fare hikes will make Mumbaikars pay a bit more to travel on trains. 4. Improvements in stations: Raising of platforms, commuter bridges to prevent rail crossings and better amenities at stations are something Mumbaikars will hope to hear about in this budget. 5. The air-conditioned train: Travellers in Mumbai’s sweltering summers will be very keen to hear if the Railway Ministry approves a plan to operate air-conditioned trains on the Western Railways. While Mumbaikars have been hearing of this mythical comfort since 2007, their hopes may have been raised thanks to recent announcements by the Railway Minister that he was keen that such a service should be operational. While it could cost a good deal more than the regular suburban train ticket, it could be a service many Mumbaikars are willing to shell out money for. 6. More trains out of Mumbai : More trains to the north, south, east and west. Mumbaikars can’t ever seem to get enough trains to get out of the city but  the high demand is still to be met.