11 years on, CSMT–Kurla 5th & 6th Line pushed to 2026: What’s blocking Mumbai’s key rail project

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The construction of two additional rail lines between Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) and Kurla—sanctioned 17 years ago under the Mumbai Urban Transport Project (MUTP-II) to reduce congestion on the city’s busiest rail corridor—remains incomplete and heavily delayed.

As of September, the estimated completion for Phase 1 (Kurla to Parel) has now been pushed to 2026, and Phase 2 (Parel to CSMT) has barely progressed due to space constraints.

According to a report by The Indian Express, back in 2010, then Chief Minister Ashok Chavan had assured that the 5th and 6th Line project would be ready and operational by 2015. The railway project that was sanctioned in 2008 for around ₹800 crore has since risen to ₹1,337 crore.

The work of Phase 1, which covers the 10.1-kilometre segment from Kurla to Parel, is underway but is delayed due to land acquisition problems, involving slum rehabilitation, government, and private parcels.

According to The Indian Express report, the progress of civil works for Phase 1 stands at around 28 per cent as of September 2025, with the official deadline for completion currently fixed at December 2025. But chances of extending the deadline to late 2026 are likely.

“There might be a delay in meeting the deadline, because there are still some issues with the land acquisition between Kurla and Parel. That is the biggest issue for the project,” a Central Railway Public Relations Officer (PRO) was quoted by The Indian Express as saying. Rehabilitation of more than 200 affected families in Vidyavihar and Sion has not fully progressed. Out of 212 families identified, around 140 have been shifted so far, with the rest pending.

The second phase, covering the Parel–CSMT stretch of roughly 7.4 kilometres, remains on paper, with no construction or concrete land acquisition work started.

The challenges are intensified by South Mumbai’s dense development and tangled property titles. Although officials have considered technical alternatives, such as elevated or underground alignments, issues of land transfer, relocation, and the area’s urban complexities have stalled progress on Phase 2.

“What is pending is only land acquisition and finalising technical studies. The work will not be scrapped,” a railway officer was quoted as saying.

Once operational, the new tracks will be dedicated to express, mail, and freight trains, while the 3rd and 4th lines will be reserved entirely for suburban locals. On the CSMT–Kurla–Kalyan corridor alone, Central Railway runs about 1,800 suburban services every day, carrying nearly 35 lakh passengers.

“Once completed, the 5th and 6th lines will be exclusively allotted for express, mail, and goods trains. The 3rd and 4th lines will be completely dedicated to suburban trains. This will reduce possible delays for suburban, express, and mail trains. The matter of increasing the frequency of suburban trains can’t be confirmed now, but the punctuality of the trains will be assured,” a railway officer told The Indian Express.