Mumbai Local News: Newly Commissioned Rail Line Between Thane And Diva Inaugurated

On Friday, February 18, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the newly commissioned rail line between Thane and Diva virtually.

While inaugurating the two rail lines, Modi reportedly stated that making Railways modern, safe and convenient is among the top priority of the government. He added that COVID-19 didn’t deviate them from their commitment to this cause.

Modi went on to appreciate the new records in freight transportation in the last two years. It is anticipated that the additional railway lines will remove the interference of long-distance train’s traffic with that of the suburban train.

Greeting Mumbaikars on the fifth and sixth rail lines connecting Thane and Diva, the Prime Minister said that these lines will bring ease of life for the residents of the ever-mobile metropolitan. The Prime Minister underlined four direct benefits of the two lines.

Firstly, separate lines for local and express trains; secondly, trains coming from other states will not have to wait for the passing of local trains; thirdly, mail/express trains can be run without much obstruction in Kalyan to Kurla section and, finally, Kalwa Mumbra commuter will not be troubled due to blockage every Sunday. He said that these lines and 36 new local trains on the central railway lines which are mostly AC are part of the central government’s commitment to expanding and modernising the facility of local trains.

Recalling the contribution of the metropolitan city of Mumbai in the progress of independent India, the Prime Minister said that now the effort is to increase Mumbai’s capability manifold about its contribution for Aatmnirbhar Bharat. “That is why our special focus is on creating 21st-century infrastructure for Mumbai”, the Prime Minister said.

Thousands of crore rupees are being invested in rail connectivity in Mumbai as the Mumbai Suburban Rail system is being equipped with the latest technology. The Prime Minister also said that efforts are on for adding additional 400 Kms in the Mumbai Suburban and 19 stations are planned to be modernised with facilities like a modern CBTC signal system.

Talking about the changed approach of New India regarding the completion of infrastructure projects, the Prime Minister pointed out that in the past projects lingered due to a lack of coordination from planning to execution stages. This made the creation of 21st-century infrastructure impossible, that is why he said that PM Gatishakti Plan was conceived. The plan will bring every department of the central government, state government’s local bodies and private sector on one platform. This will provide relevant information well in advance to all stakeholders for proper planning and coordination.

Vaishnaw even interacted with travellers and the media while commuting from Thane to Diva in a slow local train.

Bhagat Singh Koshyari, Governor, Maharashtra, Uddhav Thackeray, Chief Minister of Maharashtra joined the event through a weblink.

Similarly, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray juxtaposed the transport modes to the blood veins in the body and added that expansion helps in development.

The additional suburban services include an electrified double line of length 9.44 km and a dedicated track for long-distance trains enabling faster commutation in the Mumbai suburban network.

Boosting Rail Infrastructure of Mumbai!

• Construction of 5th and 6th Rail Line on Thane-Diva route was successfully completed
• Additional 36 suburban trains
• Separate corridors for suburban & long-distance trains
• 1.4km long Rail Flyover#RailInfra4Mumbai pic.twitter.com/si41GVoU6X

— Ministry of Railways (@RailMinIndia) February 18, 2022

According to reports, the construction of the 5th and 6th Rail Line on Thane- Diva Route has features of 6 platforms, 8 foot over bridges and a 1.4 km long rail flyover. With this newly commissioned line, 36 new services have been added which will help curtail congestion.

The rail flyover will not only enhance the comfort and convenience of the passengers but also reduce travel time and boost the Central Railways passenger capacity.

Earlier in the day, before the inauguration, Ashwini Vaishnaw Minister of Railways with Raosaheb Patil Danve Union Minister of State for Railways discussed the various railway's issues related to Mumbai with MLAs and MPs.

Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw, Hon’ble Union Minister of Railways, Communications, Electronics and Information Technology welcomed the gathering and said that railways have allocated more than 11,000 crores to Maharashtra in the 22-23 budget.

Also Read: Central Railways Introduces 36 Additional Suburban Services On Main Line