Mumbai:
The Western Railway may have to shut Marine Lines station on the fast corridor to make it feasible to run 15-car trains from Churchgate fast platforms as announced on Thursday.
The Railways will also need to acquire land from a playground and footpath and enhance its power supply to make this a reality.
The Railways announced at a press conference recently that they intend to start 15-car fast train services by June next year.
The feasibility study report submitted by Rail India Technical and Economic Services (RITES) recently to run 15-car trains on Western Railway has recommended yard remodelling and land acquisition from BMC to make the project feasible.
"To facilitate direct placement of the 15-car train from the stabling line to the platforms at Churchgate, Rites has suggested closing of Marine Lines station for fast trains," the report states.
According to the land acquisition requirements for running 15-car trains on the fast corridor, the railways will have to acquire about 300 metres of land along the east from a footpath at Churchgate, about 255 metres of land on the west from a playground near Marine Lines, about 330 metres of municipal land at Charni Road and about 275 metres east of Marine Lines.
The feasibility report has also recommended additional amenities like more foot overbridges, skywalks and widening the north-end subway at Churchgate by five metres.
The power requirement for running a 15-car train is about 25 per cent more.
The running of 15-car trains will also require workshop attention for their maintenance and there will be requirement to set-up 15-car maintenance facilities at Mahalaxmi car shed too.
About a year ago, the Western Railway had started a 15-car suburban service, touted as the world's longest suburban railway train.
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