Mumbai: In a striking turn of events, parts of Parel railway station revamped less than a year ago under the Amrit Bharat scheme may soon be demolished. The Central Railway (CR) is planning to lay two new rail lines (5th and 6th) through the station to connect the proposed Parel Terminus inside the old Parel Workshop.
The Rs 19 crore station upgrade
The station upgrade, completed at a cost of Rs 19 crore, had added several new passenger amenities, including a redesigned station building on the east side, improved booking office, toilet block with sewage treatment plant, a mini garden, seating areas, and an elevated two-wheeler parking facility. Many of these are now at risk.
“Some structures like the garden and a few other amenities will likely have to be removed. We are trying to adjust the alignment to minimise damage to key facilities like ticket counters and parking, but the plan is still under review,” a CR official said.
If the rail corridor extends further towards CSMT
Officials indicated that the impact could be much larger in the next phase of the project. If the rail corridor is extended further towards CSMT, major portions of the newly revamped station possibly the entire structure may need to be dismantled.
The project has recently gained momentum after CR cleared long-pending land acquisition issues and completed rehabilitation of 714 project-affected persons under MUTP-2, ending a 17-year delay. Approval for the Kurla–Parel 5th and 6th line corridor was granted by the Rail Ministry in December last year.
The proposed Parel Terminus, estimated to cost Rs 500 crore, will have two island platforms with four lines capable of handling 26-coach trains. It is expected to reduce congestion at CSMT and improve connectivity between Central and Western Railways. Parel was one of four Mumbai stations along with Chinchpokli, Matunga, and Wadala Road — redeveloped under the same Amrit Bharat scheme, part of a nationwide upgrade of 103 stations.
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