Salient features of Ring Route Railway

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Updated on 28th April 2001
TMC Finalises Ring Railway Route
The Thane Municipal Corporation's TMC ambitious ring railway project has finally taken off Senior TMC officials say the route has already been finalized and incorporated in the development plan and general body of the corporation is expected to approve the plan shortly.

According to officials, how ever it will take another six months to obtain all formal approvals and a detail study before the project work finally takes off in 2002. This Mass Rapid Transit System (MRTS) is expected to be operational by 2005. The suggested route is 16.2 km long and is called the green corridor. It will begin at Thane station in th west and wind its way through Naupada, Hospital Road, Cadbury Junction, golden Dyes, Manpada, Kolshet Chitalsar, Azad Nagar, Balkum, Creek View and Chendani, before finally terminating at the railway station. The green Corridor is proposed to be implemented in phase I at a cost of Rs. 825 crore. In future to meet the growing pressure o travel modes, generated as a result of growth of population and economic activities in Thane city, a master plan comprising an MRTS network of 60 km for the entire municipal corporation and adjoining areas has been envisaged, for implementation in phases. The proposed routes will extend to Bhiwandi, Borivali and the Airport.

The Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation has been appointed as the nodal agency for carrying out necessary studies and implementing MRTS in the public-private partnership. A detail projec report is being currently prepared with the financial assistance from the minister of the urban development (MUD), the TMC and MSRDC, at an estimated cost of about three crores rupees. The MSRDC, with the consent of the ministry and the TMC, has appointed a consortium of consultants namely Consulting Engineering services India. B. Kennedy and Donkin, UTI Securities exchange, LPT consultants (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd and Architects and Engineers Pvt Ltd to prepare a bankable detail project report for Thane MRTS projects. A technical advisory committee with member's from the TMC, MUD, MSRDC, PWD, and IIT is guiding the study, say TMC official.

The project will be funded mostly through market borrowings, the repayment of which will be partly through fare box collection. The fare box collection is expected to meet the operation and maintenance (O&M) expenditure and a part of loan. The remainder of the loan is expected to be repaid through the revenue generated from small surcharges on octroi, turnover, property tax, and corporate wage bills. There will be two stages fare system of five rupees (up to three km) and eight rupees beyond three km in 2006. These fares compare well with the bus transport fare and are in fact much less compared to autoricshaw fares. The MRTS, when commissioned in 2006, is expected to carry about five lakh commuters per day and the TMC expects to break-even by 2016.

Thane city, with its current population of about 15.5 lakhs has managed to double its population every decade over the last five decades. The city is expected to hit 30 lahks by 2031. With such a continues rapid pace od development, in both commercial and industrial activities, in and around Thane city, the existing transports infrastructure will undoubtedly be put to great strain. Besides, the overall development of Thane has increased traffic tremendously over the years leading to congestion, delays and pollution. In view of such circumstances, the government of Maharashtra's move towards an efficient, economical, equitable and environmentally friendly MRTS for Thane city has come not a moment too soon.