The first AC suburban train project in the country has received a boost with a feasibility report giving a green signal for running such a service in Mumbai.
Systra, a French company along with RITES have submitted the feasibility study report for the proposed AC suburban train in the 60-km-long Churchgate-Virar route to the railway board.
"The report is positive about the possibility of running such AC suburban trains in Mumbai. We are examining the report for further action," a senior railway ministry official said.
Railways had awarded the contract in November last year to Systra and RITES to undertake the feasibility study route for running elevated AC suburban rail services in Mumbai.
Estimated to cost about Rs 10,000 crores (Rs 100 billion), the AC suburban train project will be a premier service in the country.
However, the entire route will not be elevated as the report suggested. "While in some section the route will cross over the flyovers, in certain areas it has been proposed to go underground," said the official.
The consortium, which is charging the railway about Rs 8 crores for the feasibility study, will now work out the design, cost and fare structure.
The multi-crore project will be the first fully air-conditioned suburban rail service in the country.
The report is being examined to concretise the project, the official said.
Besides the Virar-Churchgate route, Maharashtra government is keen to extend the elevated corridor further from Mantralaya and Nariman Point to CST in the financial capital.
"Initially, the proposal was for the 60-km long Virar-Churchgate only. But the Maharashtra government suggested that it be extended further. So the feasibility study has also taken the extended route into account," said the official.
