The much-anticipated elevated station deck at Mumbai’s Kurla remains locked in a cycle of delay, disrepair, and developmental deadlock. Initially conceived as part of the critical fifth and sixth line expansion project by Indian Railways, the infrastructure upgrade was expected to bring long-overdue relief to suburban passengers and separate long-distance trains from the heavily crowded Harbour Line.
However, progress on this Rs 125-crore initiative has all but ground to a halt, mired in land acquisition disputes and administrative fragmentation that has raised fresh questions about governance and urban transport planning in India’s financial capital. The project involves an elevated track that begins at Chunabhatti, ascends towards Kurla, and is designed to descend near Tilak Nagar. Central to this plan was a new elevated Harbour Line station at Kurla, intended to decongest the existing network and allow long-distance services to move independently. But today, the site reflects more dysfunction than transformation. Several critical components—including foot overbridges, skywalks, and platform connectivity—remain unfinished. A key pedestrian link between the station’s eastern and western sides has been rendered nearly useless due to poor planning, as the newly constructed subway lacks direct access to platforms.
The infrastructural mess is further complicated by makeshift, unsafe connections between older and newer footbridges. One previously functional bridge has been partially dismantled, leaving it suspended awkwardly above active tracks, while its dangling sections are now linked mid-way to another structure in a patchwork configuration that raises serious commuter safety concerns. Despite public interest and repeated calls for action, these essential pedestrian access points remain incomplete, leaving thousands of daily passengers to navigate the chaos without basic safe access.
An audit by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) recently drew sharp criticism against Indian Railways, citing the Kurla project as emblematic of bureaucratic sluggishness and inefficiency. While officials claim land acquisition efforts are being expedited, facts on the ground tell another story. Of the 10,060.99 square metres required for the first phase between Kurla and Parel, barely 2,656 square metres have been acquired so far. The remaining parcels—split between 3,639.34 square metres of government-owned land and 6,421.65 square metres of private holdings—remain locked in negotiation or litigation.
Authorities from Central Railway maintain that coordination with local bodies is ongoing, and negotiations for land handover are in advanced stages. However, the visible lack of progress has eroded public trust and called into question the city’s ability to deliver essential infrastructure upgrades that impact millions. The delay also compromises broader urban goals, including carbon-neutral mobility and equitable access to efficient public transport—pillars of any sustainable city framework.
As Mumbai continues to grapple with the pressures of overpopulation, climate vulnerabilities, and outdated infrastructure, the Kurla station debacle stands as a cautionary tale. For the city to meet its future transit demands while remaining liveable and environmentally responsible, urgent systemic reforms are needed. Without them, projects like this risk becoming monuments of mismanagement rather than engines of progress.
Kurla railway development delay reflects deep cracks in urban project execution
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