Shiv Sena presses for fast-tracking railway projects worth Rs 6,000 crore on Maharashtra’s Kalwa- Ambernath corridor

Thane: The Shiv Sena pressed for fast-tracking of several railway projects collectively worth nearly Rs 6,000 crores along the Kalwa–Ambernath suburban railway corridor, including the critical Kalyan yard remodelling and long-pending Kalwa–Airoli elevated corridor, cautioning that delays would further strain the already overburdened network.Raising the issue in the Lok Sabha, the party's parliamentary leader and MP Dr Shrikant Shinde on Wednesday underscored that nearly 80% of commuters in his Kalyan constituency rely on suburban rail, making capacity augmentation an urgent necessity rather than a long-term goal.Pointing to the scale of investments, he said projects worth Rs 5,000 to Rs 6,000 crore are currently underway in his constituency, part of a larger Rs 1.7 lakh crore railway outlay in Maharashtra, with Rs 23,000 crore earmarked in the 2026–27 budget. Of this, Rs 800 crore has been allocated for the Kalyan yard remodelling alone. "The Ambernath–Kalwa belt remains heavily dependent on local train services. There is a need for converting all local trains on the corridor to 15-coach services, alongside introducing Diva–CSMT locals and improving the frequency of Kopar–Vasai trains, considering the sharp rise in commuter density. The benefits of the massive infrastructure push must translate into immediate relief for commuters," he reasoned while pushing for more Konkan-bound services and restoration of concessions for senior citizens and journalists.The Sena MP said while the work on the third-fourth lines between Kalyan and Ambernath was underway, the need for expediting the additional corridors between Kurla and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus was equally critical to decongest Mumbai's suburban lifeline.