Prime Minister Narendra Modi has finally launched the much-awaited 27-kilometre fourth suburban corridor of Belapur/Nerul-Kharkopar-Uran this evening, January 12. The inauguration was conducted virtually. It will also mark the end of a three-month wait period.
Along with this, he also laid stone foundation to several other infrastructure projects worth over INR 12,000 crores in Navi Mumbai.
Despite the expansion, Central Railway (CR) officials have decided not to increase the current 40 services. This decision has raised concerns about longer wait times for local train passengers.
Check out the Glimpse of New Uran Railway Station! 🚆 Exciting times as we open the doors to this brand-new station. 📷 #RailInfra4Maharashtra #uran #digha pic.twitter.com/EbLpb7Rxtt
— Central Railway (@Central_Railway) January 12, 2024
Regular suburban services up to Uran are expected to commence on Saturday, January 13. Then, the existing 40 suburban routes that currently operate up to Kharkopar will be extended to Uran. A CR official announced changes to the suburban rail corridor's schedule, effective January 12.
The extension of local trains to Uran is projected to add 25 to 30 minutes to the travel time. This is due to the additional 14.3 km on the Kharkopar-Uran section without an increase in rakes.
The second phase of the Uran-Kharkopar fourth corridor was ready for business use in October 2023. However, due to the lack of a formal inauguration, it was not accessible to the public.
The project is one of the longest-running train projects. It was initiated in 1996–1997. However, it faced several delays due to issues with land acquisition, local opposition, and environmental clearances.
The extension of suburban train services to Uran is expected to help commuters by increasing connectivity in the region. It will also make connectivity to the Alibaug JNPT port easier.
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