WR's Bandra Terminus-Borivli 6th line set for July completion

Time of India

13-05-2025

Mumbai: The
Western Railway
(WR) is inching closer to completing the much-delayed 30-km sixth line between
Bandra Terminus
and Borivli, with work on the final 3.7-km stretch between Kandivli and Borivli now expected to be completed in July.Once commissioned, the extension is expected to significantly improve the punctuality of
long-distance trains
by easing congestion on the existing network.
At present, the sixth line—commissioned up to Goregaon in Nov 2022 and extended to Kandivli in Oct 2023 — is operational only between Bandra Terminus and Kandivli. It currently handles around 20 mail and express trains every day."The sixth line is a dedicated corridor for long-distance trains, and extending it up to Borivali will help us streamline operations and reduce delays," a senior WR official said.
"We are in the final stages of completing this stretch and are working on critical components like dismantling an infringing structure and re-girdering Major Bridge 61 with a pre-stressed concrete slab."Meanwhile, the fifth line originates from Mumbai Central and ends at Borivli. However, a key 5-km section between Mahim and Khar remains incomplete due to encroachments. Western Railway commissioned the fifth line between Mumbai Central and Mahim in 1993 and between Santacruz and Borivali in 2002, but the missing link continues to hamper full-scale operations."The missing link on the fifth line has been a persistent bottleneck. Without that, we can't fully segregate suburban and long-distance trains, which is critical to our operational efficiency," the official added.Currently, there are four lines between Churchgate-Marine Lines and Borivli-Virar, with the fifth line running between Mumbai Central and Borivli, and the sixth between Bandra Terminus and Kandivli.The sixth line project, a key component of the
Mumbai Urban Transport Project
(MUTP-II), has faced repeated delays and cost overruns. Initially estimated at Rs 5,300 crore, the revised cost of the project now stands at Rs 8,087 crore. The project includes three phases—Vile Parle to Kandivli (completed), Kandivli to Borivli (underway), and Mumbai Central to Khar (yet to begin).