THANE: The Mumbai Rail Vikas Corporation (MRVC) that has started work of laying additional tracks between Thane and Diva as part of its ambitious corridor expansion plans aims to finish the work by December 2019.The MRVC is executing the second phase of the Mumbai Urban Transport Project (MUTP), which entails adding an extra pair of lines between Thane and Diva and has completed a vital work of remodelling of the existing track layout at the Northern-end of Kalwa station last Sunday. The new tracks will later be connected to the present fast corridor at Thane and Diva while the additional pair will cater exclusively for mail express trains thus creating a separate corridor between Kurla and Kalyan.A special traffic block was taken up wherein the crucial work of shifting alignment of the existing down-direction tracks at Kharegaon towards the west side was done following which the adjoining Up slow tracks will now be shifted next fortnight. The space towards the east side will be enough to lay two more tracks for accommodating the fast lines. The remodelling of the around 800m-stretch of tracks at the spot is one of the crucial aspects of the project, explained an official from the MRVC.The project worth Rs 440 crore will also include construction of two platforms at Mumbra and Kalwa for fast trains along with a flyover for road traffic at Parsik-Retibunder, including rehabilitation of affected residents along the stretch. The work that was proposed around 2000 started off from 2009 and is tentatively scheduled to be over by 2019, said MRVC officials. Once completed, the suburban and mail express corridors will be separated between Kalyan and LTT.“We are starting works of shifting the railway lines towards the west side to accommodate two new lines between Kalwa and Mumbra stations. The work will be undertaken at an 800m stretch starting from the Kharegaon level crossing towards Mumbra,” said Sanjay Singh, chief public relations officer, MRVC.Officials added that once the work for increasing capacity on the corridor is completed the commute for lakhs of commuters travelling between Thane and the suburbs beyond could be eased thanks to the availability of an entire corridor between Thane and Kalyan for operating trains. “The number of services in the farther suburbs from Thane could be increased provided the availability of rakes at a later stage,” said Singh.The MRVC is executing the second phase of the Mumbai Urban Transport Project, which entails adding an extra pair of lines between Thane and Diva and has completed a vital work of remodelling of the existing track layout at the Northern-end of Kalwa station last Sunday

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