Want funds for MUTP? Install automatic closing doors in locals: World Bank

ldquoIf you want money ensure Mumbairsquos local trains have closed doorsrdquo This is what officials from the Maharashtra government were told when they met representatives of the World Bank yesterday to discuss the possibility of the latter funding part of the Rs 11440crore Mumbai Urban Transport Project IIIWhile the installation of automatic closing doors was not made a precondition sources said WB officials laid a lot of emphasis on that as well as preventing trespassing on tracks to save livesWhile this was not made a precondition for funding sources said the World Bank placed a lot of emphasis on getting the government and the railways to ensure that commuters on Mumbairsquos packed lifeline do not lose their lives due to overcrowding in trains as well as through trespassing on tracksThe World Bankrsquos request incidentally comes at a very apt time In the three days between September 19 and September 21 35 deaths took place on the tracks on Mumbairsquos suburban network while 32 others were injuredOn the tableFollowing the highlevel meeting between World Bank state government and Indian Railways officials Onno Ruhl Country Director World Bank said ldquoWe know that people die on the suburban railway system and thus we want doors that close automatically to be installedPresently work on the trespass control project at railway stations is underway but there is lot of scope for improvementrdquo World Bank officials said the institution has spent about 900 million on the MUTP so far and that they have been seeing delays in the implementation of projectsWestern Railway WR had begun trying out the lsquocloseddoorrsquo project in the firstclass ladies compartment in March but it was stopped in August Officials said that they are making technical changes as they had found that the closed doors were opening late there was no indication of which side the doors would open on and that the motormen and guards used to press the wrong buttons at times leading to doors on the wrong side getting openedldquoWe have been making changes in the technology and improving its functioning The closeddoor system will be back in use within a weekrdquo said Sharat Chandrayan chief Public Relations Officer WRAC trainsWB officials said that a bustling city like Mumbai needs AC trains too ldquoPeople here should change their habit of travelling It will take time but AC trains with closed doors are the next steprdquo said a WB official He added that the state government and railways should think of having every third coach as an AC one in every local to give commuters more optionsTrespass controlThe WB has made a special provision of Rs 130crore for a trespass control project after the Mumbai Rail Vikas Corporation MRVC failed to utilise some of the funds allocated under the MUTP Under this project 11 stations and 22 spots across CR and WR are being revamped to prevent trespassing near station premises and between stationsThis includes constructing skywalks erecting barriers and fencing off areas On the Central Railway CR route 12 trespassing spots have been identified near stations especially close to Thane Kalwa Mumbra and Kalyan while on the Western Railway WR crossing of tracks is rampant between Mahim and BorivliMost of these areas have slums close to the tracks Of the 11 stations identified work at Kurla Kalyan Vasai and Nallasopara will be carried out in the first phase and the Dadar Kandivli Bhayandar Kanjur Marg Thane and Thakurli stations will be taken up after that Dadar East and West are being taken as two separate stations