In 3 years,many more coaches to handle the rush

The number of passengers on any train varies by the hour,the average being 3,600. This is expected to come down to 3,000 in 2014,the schedule for completion of the project that involves procurement of 78 new,12-car trains.

The World Bank on Friday sanctioned a loan of Rs 1,910 crore for the Rs-3,400 crore phase 2A,with the rest of the cost to be shared equally by the state government and Indian Railways.

All rail components under the MUTP are being implemented by Mumbai Rail Vikas Corporation (MRVC),set up by the Indian Railways and the state government.

All suburban trains will be converted to 12-car. Phase 2A will also include conversion of the traction system on the Central line from DC to AC,which is more energy-efficient. On the Western line,conversion was done in the first phase. Phase 1,which involves upgrade of both rail and road networks,is expected to be completed by December this year.

MUTP 2 also includes construction of the fifth and sixth lines between Kurla and CST and between Thane and Diwa,laying a sixth line between Borivli and Mumbai Central and extending the harbour line from Andheri to Goregaon.

“After detailed negotiations,the World Bank has agreed to give us a soft loan and now we are ready to start the tendering process for MUTP 2A. We have to ensure that while procuring rakes and augmenting the services,the numbers of motormen also increase so that the city doesn’t get paralysed as it did during the recent strike,” said TC Benjamin,state urban development principal secretary who was present,along with MRVC managing director PC Sehgal,at Friday’s meeting with World Bank officials.