It becomes even more difficult to negotiate during the monsoon season, and we are barely two months away before the rains drench Mumbai
Construction work at Kurla station is pending even 10 years after it began. Pics/Rajendra B. Aklekar
Construction on the Kurla elevated station remains in limbo even 10 years after it began, plagued by multiple complications. The project has now become one of the longest-delayed railway undertakings. The comptroller and auditor general, in its latest report, has criticised Indian Railways, specifically flagging this project.
The project was envisioned to segregate mainline and express trains as part of the 5th and 6th line upgrade, with a new elevated station to separate harbour line platforms. Currently, the 5th and 6th lines end near Vidyavihar and are intended to be extended to Parel and later CSMT. This project has been stalled due to land acquisition issues, leaving Kurla station in disarray. One does not know what exactly the issues are, but they need to be resolved quickly. There are also several incomplete foot overbridges and other problems that need satisfactory resolution as this space is challenging. It becomes even more difficult to negotiate during the monsoon season, and we are barely two months away before the rains drench Mumbai.
Every infra project needs to have a definite timeline, which has to be stuck to. One cannot have legal snafus once a project has started. Obstacles have to be cleared first and a visionary approach to all public amenities will help. It is because of stumbling blocks and inordinate delays that people have become cynical about projects not only being completed in time, but at times even seeing the light of day. Giving complicated reasons for delays, passing the buck or pushing back work for one reason or the other... the time for all this is past. As we hurtle ahead with AC trains and bullet trains, basics like station platforms cannot be mired in this mess and are at a standstill because of knotty issues that refuse to unravel for a decade.
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