Mumbai: Jogeshwari Terminus delayed to 2027 after design upgrades, say officials

Design changes and upgrades to the upcoming greenfield Jogeshwari Terminus have delayed its completion by a year but officials say the project will now be more purposeful and better equipped Initially scheduled for completion by March 2025 the terminus is now expected to be ready in 2027The new terminus is aimed at decongesting major terminal stations such as Bandra Dadar and Mumbai CentralldquoThere have been delays because of design changes and upgrades Originally there were three platforms now we have widened the existing ones for better passenger convenience and added one more platform It will be a significant terminus along with a coaching depot for Vande Bharat trains Work will be completed in the coming financial yearrdquo said Divisional Railway Manager Pankaj SinghWhere is the new terminusThe terminus is located near Ram Mandir suburban railway station and is about 250 metres from the nearest Metro station Jogeshwari East on Metro Line 7 viaRam Mandir Road Lotus Corporate Park It will include cab zones auto stands OlaUber pickup and dropoff points and a dedicated parking areaA bit of historyThe last fullfledged independent rail terminus in Mumbai was Kurla LTT built 34 years ago in 1991 Since then stations like Dadar Western and Panvel have been upgraded into mailexpress termini but no entirely new terminus has been constructedWhat is the upgradeThe original plan featured three platforms mdash one island and one home platform each 600 metres long The revised design adds a fourth platform and widens the existing ones Platform 4 will now serve as the home platform The terminus will be able to handle 24coach trains and accommodate 12 pairs of mail and express trains dailyVoicesMansoor Umer Darvesh former member of the Divisional Railway Usersrsquo Consultative CommitteelsquoThis terminus will mainly benefit suburban commuters and reduce the load on Mumbai Central and Bandra Terminus It is very close to SV Road making it easily accessible Railways should start more longdistance trains from here for it to be successful However delays like these are frustrating Every time there is a reason costs double and the common man suffers The railways should complete the project on time as promisedrsquoRupak Dhakate commuterlsquoThe terminus can keep progressing but daily users are struggling due to ongoing work near Ram Mandir station on the east side The pathway is in poor condition With a heavy officegoing crowd using this route the railways should at least fix the road outside the stationrsquoBridges A 6metrewide foot overbridge FOB will connect to the existing FOB at Ram Mandir station linking the terminal with the suburban station It will include two escalators and a lift for senior citizens and divyang passengers A 12metrewide FOB will connect platforms 1 and 2 with platform 3Station buildings A groundplustwo service building will house relay rooms and railway departments for smooth operations A groundplusthree station building will include all key passenger amenitiesExpected completion2027Amenities AC VIP lounge with bath toilet charging points and cafeteriaminipantry AC waiting lounge with similar facilities Retiring rooms four AC double rooms and four nonAC double rooms Separate dormitories for men and women six beds each Food plaza and entertainment zone Rest area for 50 licensed sahayaks with basic facilitiesCirculating areaThe station will have a wellplanned circulating area with designated pickup and drop zones OlaUber bays taxi and auto stands vehicle parking VIP parking and EV charging points Entry and exit will connect directly to the Western Express Highway The nearest Metro station is about 500 metres awayFeaturesThe station will feature a selfsupported proflex sheet dome structure offering a modern architectural design distinct from traditional railway platform coversRevised costThe project cost has increased fromRs 35 crore to Rs 69 crore