Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu at the inauguration of an 80-metre foot over-bridge at Borivali railway station Monday. (Amit Chakravarty) Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu at the inauguration of an 80-metre foot over-bridge at Borivali railway station Monday. (Amit Chakravarty)

The foot over-bridge with commuter amenities was inaugurated at Borivali station by Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu Monday. It has become the first station in Mumbai to have double discharge escalators and staircase. This facility will allow commuters to enter and exit the station, using the foot over-bridge from the same end of the platform. Prabhu also performed ‘bhoomi poojan’ of the proposed ‘deck’ at Borivali Monday.

Borivali station is one of the 400 model stations in India selected by the Railway ministry. A 6m-wide, 80-metre long foot over-bridge with amenities like escalators, staircase and ramps has been constructed for easy movement of passengers.

Prabhu added that 400 major stations across the country had been selected to be developed on PPP model. These stations would be equipped with star-studded facilities found at airports such as double decker entry-exit and food courts. He claimed that all 103 announcements made in the budget this year were being fulfilled and more projects were being undertaken for railway commuters. Talking about passenger-friendly innovations, he said that since he had taken over as railway minister, the website of IRCTC had been upgraded and paperless ticketing was launched. The process to provide hygienic water at cheap rates across 1000 stations was also under way, he claimed.

Cleanliness at the railway premises and in public toilets, allowing private caterers in trains, mechanised washing of linen at all major stations across the country, changing the internal design of the coaches, expanding the railway network are among the several initiatives that are being worked on.

“Proposal of MUTP-3 has been sent to the planning commission for getting final approval. We are slated to invest a mammoth Rs 10,000 crore in projects at Mumbai which would include the elevated corridor on PPP model,” he added.

“The railways is also set to get an investment up to Rs 70,000 to 80,000 crore as part of a joint company between the state government and the railways. This will facilitate providing relief to the commuters,” he said.

“I have asked the senior officers of both Central and Western railway to chalk out an action plan by the end of November for Mumbai,” said Prabhu. He said, “Now, there will be no problem of fund. I have given sufficient funds and delegated proper rights to dispense the money.”

mumbai.newsline@expressindia.com

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