Mumbai: Kandivali station’s long-awaited improvement work is making steady progress, with the project now at 50% completion. The overhaul, which is expected to be finished by December 2025, is aimed at modernizing the station and enhancing commuter experience in one of Mumbai’s bustling suburban hubs.
The Rs 55 crore project, spearheaded by the Mumbai Rail Vikas Corporation (MRVC), is part of a larger initiative to upgrade 18 suburban stations across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), including key stations on the Central, Harbour, and Western lines.
Stations like Ghatkopar, Vikhroli, Bhandup, Mulund, Dombivli, Neral, and Kasara on the Central line, GTB Nagar, Chembur, Govandi, and Mankhurd on the Harbour line, and Khar, Kandivali, Nallasopara, Vasai Road, Mira Road, Santacruz, and Bhayander on the Western line are undergoing significant upgrades as part of this massive transformation, with an estimated cost of around Rs 950 crores.
According to MRVC, Kandivali station improvement project includes the construction of new and upgraded infrastructure designed to ease congestion and improve accessibility.
The work comprises a variety of components, such as a 263-meter long deck connecting the South and North FOBs, A South FOB of 40 meters by 10 meters, A North FOB measuring 84 meters by 6 meters, A Middle FOB of 42 meters by 4 meters, Seven new staircases, three lifts, and four escalators, A new station building on the west side, Platform 1 widening and additional facilities, including a north-side toilet block, A skywalk of 4.0 meters wide connecting the new South FOB to the existing South FOB on Platforms 2, 3, and 4.
“Several key components of the project have already been completed including A 45-meter long elevated deck, 10.4 meters wide, has been installed on Platform 1, complete with escalators for improved access. Additionally, the South FOB, measuring 40 meters in length and 10 meters in width, along with three staircases on Platforms 1, 2/3, and 4, has been successfully commissioned” said an official.
While significant progress has been made, several elements are still under construction. These include a 197-meter stretch of the deck between grids C8 and C17, the North FOB, additional lifts (two more), three more staircases, three escalators, the skywalk on Platforms 2/3 and 4, and the north-side toilet block.
Once completed, the upgrade promises to significantly enhance the commuter experience at Kandivali station, alleviating congestion, improving connectivity, and making the station more accessible. The project’s comprehensive scope, including wider platforms, additional staircases, lifts, and escalators, is expected to handle the growing passenger traffic in the coming years.
“Once the project is finished, it promises to significantly improve commuter experience by reducing congestion and enhancing overall connectivity at Kandivli station,” said an official overseeing the project.
