Union Budget allots Rs 1,121 crore for rail projects in Mumbai

The Union Budget has allocated Rs 1,121.21 crore for various Metropolitan Transport Projects (MTPs) in Mumbai with a substantial 91 per cent increase in funds for the Mumbai Urban Transport Project (MUTP).

Out of Rs 1,121.21 crore for various MTPs (railway projects) in Mumbai, Rs 1,100 crore have been allocated for the MUTP alone. The allotment for MUTP was Rs 577 crore last year, railway officials said.

The allotment for MUTP was Rs 577 crore last year, railway officials said. Of the funds allocated for the MUTP in 2023-24, the highest Rs 650 crore would go to MUTP phase III, Rs 300 crore to phase IIIA and Rs 150 crore to phase II as per the Pink Book or the budget document made available on the Railway Board's website.

The MUTP is one of the ambitious projects undertaken for the expansion and capacity augmentation of the city's suburban train network. Presently, three projects under the MUTP are at various stages of implementation while the World Bank-funded MUTP-I has been completed. In the last year's Union budget, Rs 729.55 crore had been allocated for various MTPs in Mumbai and Pune.

This year's budget allocated Rs 20 crore for the Belapur-Seawoods-Uran railway line which is expected to be completed this year. The line will provide suburban railway connectivity to the under- development Navi Mumbai international airport besides Uran-Dronagiri areas of Raigad district.

Subhash Chand Gupta, chairman and managing director of the Mumbai Railway Vikas Corporation (MRVC), said the MUTP will gain further momentum with the 91 per cent increase in the allocation.