2 buildings stand in the way of Khar-Borivali railway line

Another resident said that for the last few months, many government officials had visited their building but no solution had been found yet. “The authorities are saying they will cut the portion housing three residents that is obstructing the rail line,” said another resident

MUMBAI: The first phase of the Mumbai Central-Borivali sixth railway line was set to open in the Khar-Goregaon stretch this month. But despite tracks being laid, Western Railway authorities will not be able to throw it open on account of structures that are too close to the tracks.

One can see the grey Vile Parle building from the railway tracks. A portion of it housing three residents juts out and is thus perilously close to the sixth rail line. (HT Photo)

According to a letter written by Western Railway to the chief secretary on June 1, the problem is specifically at two locations: a plot of 64 square metres at Vile Parle and one of 424 square metres at Borivali. Sources said that the railways had informed the state government about the need to shift three occupants residing in a building that falls between Vile Parle and Andheri stations. The letter mentions that the Borivali building has 14 residents, but is vague about what action will be taken here.

One can see the grey Vile Parle building from the railway tracks. A portion of it housing three residents juts out and is thus perilously close to the sixth rail line. Residents living in the approximately 20-year-old building claimed they were trying to find a way out. “We are in talks with different government authorities and hope to arrive at an amicable solution,” said a resident of the ground-plus-two building.

Another resident said that for the last few months, many government officials had visited their building but no solution had been found yet. “The authorities are saying they will cut the portion housing three residents that is obstructing the rail line,” said another resident. “However, we have asked them to find a solution for the entire building, as simply piecing out these three homes will cause a safety issue for the rest of the building.”

Senior WR officials told HT that in their letter to the state government, they had emphasised the need to shift the three project-affected persons and then demolish the building. WR authorities claimed that they had already paid ₹11.51 crore to the district collector and acquired the 64-square-metre plot.

“Consent for additional payment was also given on June 1,” said another WR official. “We have informed the state government that the building’s open space has been acquired but the building itself can be demolished only after the shifting of the three residents.” Again, it is unclear whether WR intends to demolish the protruding portion or the entire building.

The track-laying has been more or less completed on the entire stretch between Borivali-Goregaon and Khar. As per plans, the cut-and-connect of rail lines is underway, which is crucial, as it will link this rail line and the signalling system with existing lines. This work will take at least 45 days to complete.

The fifth and sixth rail lines will be for long-distance trains. The entire corridor is expected to be ready by December 2025.