MahaRail Proposes Six Railway Overbridges To Ease Traffic Congestion, PMC To Consider NOC On October 15

The Maharashtra Rail Infrastructure Development Corporation (MahaRail) has suggested building six railway overbridges (ROBs) in the Panvel Municipal Corporation (PMC) area to alleviate traffic congestion and mitigate delays caused by railway crossings. These proposals are anticipated to be presented during the PMC's general body meeting on October 15 for approval.

Six proposed locations have been identified for the ROBs. Two of these sites currently feature single railway lines, while the remaining four locations have experienced increased traffic and urban development on both sides of the tracks, necessitating grade-separated road crossings. The proposed projects encompass a railway overbridge between Kalamboli and Panvel railway stations along the Panvel-Diva route, as well as another ROB near Kharghar railway station on the Kharghar to Mansarovar railway stations corridor.

Four additional locations have also been identified, including the CKT College road in Khanda Colony, the Kalundre segment along National Highway 4 connecting survey numbers 105(1) to 7(2), the Advali stretch along NH-4 between Advali survey number 138(1) and Turbhe survey number 81, and the Rohinjan stretch along NH-4 linking survey number 46 to Nazgaon survey number 25. These areas have seen significant residential growth and heightened vehicular movement, rendering railway crossings potential chokepoints for commuters.

MahaRail has assessed 80 locations across Maharashtra where railway gates lack underpasses or overbridges. The proposed overbridges are intended to enhance connectivity and diminish waiting times for motorists and other road users. The initiatives align with the Maharashtra state government's Railway Crossing-Free program, which seeks to replace level crossings with overbridges or underpasses to enhance road and railway safety, alleviate traffic bottlenecks, and save commuters time.

However, these projects remain in the proposal phase and must undergo further stages before construction can commence.