As Phase I of the Mumbai Urban Transport Project (MUTP) nears completion,the deadline for the Virar car shed,of one of its sub-projects,could get yet another extension. Mumbai Rail Vikas Corporation (MRVC) officials say flooding in the area and the bad approach road made it difficult to carry out any work during monsoon. Besides,there was a shortage of sand,which was delaying the work. MRVC Managing Director P C Sehgal said the car-shed,supposed to be completed by year end was delayed,as work to make it suitable for accommodating 15-coach trains was on. Sehgal said the World Bank had been informed about the development. A World Bank team will be in the city on Wednesday to inspect the MUTP projects. We cannot carry out the work as the approach road is bad due to the rains. Flooding in the area has aggravated matters, Sehgal said. More importantly,for the last few months,we have been facing shortage of sand and that has delayed the work. The Virar car shed is one of the important sub-projects of the MUTP that would provide stabling lines and better maintenance facilities for 12-coach and 15-coach rakes on the Western Railway (WR). Sources informed that the work on the fifth and the sixth lines between Kurla and Thane could also miss the deadline because of the rains. We have put the project on fast track. The work of laying of tracks has been completed between these two stations. We now have to link these tracks with the tracks at Vidyavihar.
