WB funds to MUTP-II likely

Meanwhile, the MMRDA, the nodal agency for implementing the project, has already started preparing detailed engineering studies on the non-rail components of the project. The one glitch is that the formation of the MRDC, a necessary institutional set-up to initiate and monitor suburban railway projects, is contingent on approval by the Central cabinet. After approving the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the state and Indian Railways, the state cabinet has forwarded the document to the Centre for finalisation.

However, given the political uncertainty at the Centre, the due date for MRDC formation may now be pushed back.

The MoU and the articles of association are to be processed, and a cabinet note for the incorporation of the MRDC has already been sent to the Central government, confirmed railway officials. “Railway officials claim that the final formation of the MRDC will require cabinet approval, though we do not think that this will directly give the MUTP project a setback,” the MMRDA official stated. WB officials had met the state government and railway authorities in New Delhi on November 17 where they were appraised of developments in the MUTP-II.

On their part, railway officials were able to convince the WB of their sincerity, considering that work on the Thane-Kurla sixth corridor is already on and provisions for the project have already been made in the railways’ supplementary budget.

The Metropolitan Transport Projects (Rlys), the department handling suburban rail projects, has meanwhile completed studies on the financial and institutional changes in the railways, the Systems Planning and Simulation studies and the EMU remanufacturing studies as proposed by the W S Atkins report on which the MUTP is based.

Another study on the benefits to accrue to the railways due to the conversion of power supply from the existing AC to DC sources is still on. Once the MRDC is formed, it is expected that the MTP department will be absorbed by the new organisation.