CR to improve access to LTT, to clear encroachment

MUMBAI: The Central Railway (CR) plans to reclaim a 300-500-metre encroached stretch connecting Lokmanya Tilak Terminus (LTT) with Vidyavihar railway station on the Main Line. This would improve road access to LTT, which is currently accessed via Tilak Nagar on the Harbour Line.

To clear the encroachments, the railway has met with civic officials. Sources said the encroachments include slums, religious structures and commercial shops. The railway has surveyed the land but is yet to arrive at the number of encroachments here.

The stretch in question connects LTT with the suburban railway line in the east. “This (reclaiming it) will make available an alternative route to reach LTT by local train,” said a senior CR official.

At present, passengers taking a local train must alight at Tilak Nagar railway station and walk to LTT. To do this, they need to change over at Kurla station on the Main Line and board trains on the Harbour Line on the CSMT-Panvel corridor.

“We have been demanding a connecting road between the terminus and Vidyavihar station. When this can be done at Bandra Terminus, with Khar through an FOB, it should be possible here too,” said Subhash Gupta, president, Mumbai Yatri Parishad, a railway passenger association.

LTT is a busy terminus. Last year, the CR augmented its capacity by adding two rail lines and platforms. This year too, the railway is operating 1,300-odd summer special trains, of which 40-45% ply from LTT.