Mumbai’s Parel station gets a new platform after new foot overbridge

According to senior railway officials, the other platform is 10-metre wide, a metre wider than the existing platform. It is connected to the old platform by a temporary deck. The railways is considering extending the existing platform by another 2 metres in due course.

Subhash Gupta, railway activist and representative from Zonal Railway User Consultative Committee, said, “We had always demanded double discharge for trains at Parel station. The new platform at Parel station has brought much relief to commuters. The railways must inaugurate another foot overbridge, to decongest Parel soon,” he said.

After the stampede on the foot overbridge connecting Parel and Elphinstone Road in August last year, work on commissioning the new platform gathered pace. After Dadar, Parel sees large crowds. Providing another platform at Parel is a part of the Parel terminus project worth Rs 25 crore. The terminus will ensure trains originate and end at the station. According to regular commuters, this will help them board trains from Parel station with ease.

“We will remove the deck after the Parel terminus is constructed. Frequency of train services from Parel will also increase after the terminus is approved,” a senior railway official said. For regular commuters, another platform at the station brings partial relief from congestion. Vicky Kadam, a daily commuter from Parel to Vikhroli, said, “On day one of commissioning of new platform at Parel, I was able to alight from the bridge and reach the platform quickly.”

In another effort to decongest Parel station, the railways plans a third foot overbridge to connect Elphinstone Road station on the Western Railway with Parel. This is likely to be commissioned by July 15. Rakesh Gautam, a commuter who travels to Parel from Nahur, said, “I’m waiting for this new bridge to open. This will make the way to reach Elphinstone Road station much easier.”

Among other railway stations that have an island platform and see heavy rush during peak hours include Masjid station, Elphinstone Road, Currey Road and Guru Tegh Bahadur Nagar.