WR gifts commuters space with wider platforms on the anvil

Commuters waiting for trains at Nallasopara and Mira Road stations will not have to jostle for space after six months.

The Western Railway, for the first time, is planning to widen platforms. It has placed work orders to create more space on the narrow fast-train platform 4 at Nallasopara and also at Mira Road that is linked to the skywalk.

“The project cost is about Rs72 lakh and the work will be completed within six months,” said a senior official.

The extra space on platforms will help the railway deal with the sea of people continuously pouring into stations because of longer trains, wider bridges and new skywalks.

“These northern suburbs have been recording significant growth. Last year, Nallasopara alone recorded a 25% increase in commuters travelling in first-class compartments as compared to the previous year,” said the official. “We have decided to widen platforms as the existing ones are narrow and crowded.”

Thousands of houses are mushrooming between Borivli and Virar and the pressure is on the railways. “The number of passengers is growing in stations such as Naigaon, Bhayander and Mira Road as new properties and real estate schemes are coming up in these areas,” the official added.

Trains have also become longer - from nine-car to 12-car and now 15-car. “Increasing the rakes of trains has also added to the passenger number and we have to look at creating more space at stations,” he added.

There’s a train every three minutes during peak hours and more services are being added regularly. “To cater to such growth, we need stations and proper infrastructure with futuristic vision,” the official said. “Some stations may need a complete makeover and some are in urgent need of adding space. We have just begun that exercise,” he added.