Railways to tie up with IIT-B to develop sustainable suburban framework

MUMBAI: The planning agency of Mumbai Rail Vikas Corporation (MRVC) along with the Indian Railways will tie up with the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Bombay, for conducting a technical analysis of the city’s suburban rail network. The idea is to conduct a ‘technical study’ to develop a framework for ‘Financial and Economic Sustainability’ of suburban railway in Mumbai and its metropolitan region in collaboration with the premier educational institution.

Senior rail officials said that the study will analyse the experience gained from past urban transport projects and recommend improvements for future development. It will also analyse the rail projects currently underway - how these will complement other mass transit projects like the metro rail and compare the fare structures of AC and regular local train services among other things.

“Mumbai suburban rail is a crucial component of the city’s transport infrastructure. This study aims to understand if the current costing structure aligns with global practices, identify optimal operations and maintenance expenses, explore innovative financing models, and assess energy efficiency. We expect this study to be completed by July 2027,” said a railway official.

The study will provide a comprehensive analysis of suburban rail operations keeping in mind financial sustainability and efficient service delivery. “The study could help us implement an efficient train timetable and optimise infrastructure planning. It could recommend strategies for enhanced capacity utilisation of our fleet of trains and augment passenger convenience,” said another railway official.

Larger transport planning and strategies, too, will be part of the study. “The railways have ample potential to monetise their assets. There is scope to improve the system as well as the existing infrastructure. They should study all the factors that will improve passenger experience,” said Madhu Kotian, president, Mumbai Rail Pravasi Sangh.