The Panvel-Karjat local train corridor has reached 99% completion, but suburban services will begin only after final technical tests and approval from the Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS), according to the Mumbai Railway Vikas Corporation (MRVC) project update reported by Loksatta.
The 29.6-km double-line project is being built under the Mumbai Urban Transport Project 3 (MUTP 3). MRVC has set a target to complete the project by December 2026, while passenger services are expected to start after the safety regulator grants approval. The project is intended to create a direct suburban rail connection between Panvel and Karjat, improving access for commuters in Navi Mumbai and the Karjat region.
At present, passengers travelling between the two areas do not have a direct suburban rail link and must spend additional time on their journeys. The new corridor is expected to reduce travel time between Panvel and Karjat and provide an alternative route within the wider Mumbai Metropolitan Region’s rail network.
The line will have five stations: Panvel, Chikhle, Poyanje, Chowk and Karjat. The station earlier known as Mohape has been renamed Poyanje. The New Panvel station is already operational, while the station buildings at Chikhle and Poyanje have been completed.
Work at the Chowk and Karjat stations is in its final phase. This includes platforms, circulating areas, covered platform roofs, lifts, escalators and other passenger facilities. The remaining station work will have to be completed before the route can move through final testing and safety clearance.
The project includes three tunnels with a combined length of 3.164 km. The 2.625-km Wavrely tunnel is set to become the longest tunnel in Mumbai’s suburban railway network. The corridor passes through hilly terrain, requiring specialised engineering methods. According to the report, excavation and final finishing work in the tunnels have been completed.
The ₹2,782-crore project also includes major and minor bridges, five flyovers and 16 underpasses. Work on the flyovers, smaller bridges and underpasses is in its final stage. The railway track connection through the underpass below the Pune Expressway has also been completed.
The project’s completion will not by itself allow trains to start running. Railway infrastructure must undergo technical testing, followed by inspection and clearance from the CRS. The safety approval is therefore the key operational milestone between construction completion and the start of passenger services.
MRVC’s December 2026 completion target and the requirement for CRS approval mean that the opening of the corridor will depend on both construction readiness and the subsequent safety-clearance process. The reported timeline indicates that local services are being prepared for operation by January 2028, subject to the required approval.
