Mumbai’s 17-Year Wait Nears End: CSMT–Kurla 5th & 6th Line Project Set To Move

Mumbai: After nearly two decades of delays due to land acquisition hurdles and rehabilitation issues, the long-pending 5th and 6th railway line project between Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) and Kurla is finally set to move ahead. Central Railway(CR) is preparing to begin demolition of Project Affected Persons (PAP) structures at Swadeshi Mill in the Chunabhatti–Kurla and Dharavi stretch the last major bottleneck delaying the project.

Sources said that the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has completed the rehabilitation and resettlement (R&R) of all 714 eligible PAP families, with alternate flats allotted and shifting currently underway. CR has already completed land acquisition at Swadeshi Mill, Kurla, and Vidyavihar, with the process formally concluded on January 20, 2026.

Arrangements for demolition including deployment of machinery, manpower, and equipment are being finalised. The Railway Protection Force (RPF) and Government Railway Police (GRP) and police Zone 5 have been requested for security at the site.

“The demolition will be completed within a month,” a senior Central railway officer said, adding that construction work will begin after ongoing works, including the Sion bridge, are completed. Importantly, the design of the upcoming Prabhadevi bridge has already incorporated provisions for the 5th and 6th lines, ensuring no future obstruction along the stretch.

The project, sanctioned around 17 years ago under the Mumbai Urban Transport Project (MUTP-II), aims to segregate suburban train services from long-distance mail, express, and freight traffic on one of Mumbai’s most congested corridors. Once completed, the new 5th and 6th lines will be used exclusively for mail/express and freight trains, while the existing 3rd and 4th lines will be dedicated entirely to suburban services. At present, Central Railway operates around 1,820 suburban services ( 800-900 service on Main line) daily on the CSMT–Kurla–Kalyan corridor, carrying nearly 38 lakh passengers, making it among the busiest suburban rail networks in the world.