Putting the Brakes on the Modified Mathura-Vrindavan Rail Project: Uneconomical and Unwelcome
Government's Railway Department terminates ₹402-crore Mathura-Vrindavan rail modernization project permanently.
Say goodbye to the ambitious Mathura-Vrindavan rail conversion project, costing a whopping ₹402 crore and now permanently shut down due to its unprofitability and public disapproval. The North Central Railway zone, governing the Mathura-Vrindavan segment, had planned to withdraw this anticipated endeavor owing to local dissent.
In a letter dated June 6, the Railway Ministry confirmed the closure of the Mathura-Vrindavan section of Agra Division, North Central Railway. The decision encompassed the concerns of the Finance Directorate of the Ministry of Railways and met with the approval of the highest authorities.
Railway officials involved in the project Remarked that construction on the rail link between the two cities commenced roughly two years back, representing a significant investment of time and resources in the laying down of tracks from both Mathura and Vrindavan.
However, naysayers argue that this decision raises doubts about the Railways' vision and strategic planning, potentially resulting in substantial financial losses. Initially, the Railway Board sanctioned transforming the metre gauge rail line overseeing Mathura and Vrindavan to broad gauge in 2017-18, with a projected cost of ₹402 crore[3].
Upon awarding a ₹191 crore contract to ISC in February 2023, the demolition of the original track began simultaneously with the commencement of construction of the new track on March 31, 2023[4]. The original target date for the contractor to complete the project was March 30, 2025.
Furthermore, a different contract worth ₹38 crore for the construction of station buildings in Krishna Janmabhoomi and Vrindavan was granted to HOG Projects in May 2023[4].
While the metre gauge track, erected by the British more than a century ago, once operated a one-coach rail bus running twice daily, it was suspended during the conversion process to broad gauge[2].
The gauge conversion work started in Vrindavan, but local residents overtly objected when the work began in Mathura in June 2023[4]. Since the metre gauge lay at ground level, enabling effortless pedestrian crossings, and the rail bus’ speed was slow, locals feared the new, elevated track's construction would cause them significant inconvenience.
As the new rail setup would necessitate an embankment, local objections were raised. Upon the proposed construction's impact on their established pedestrian routes and lifestyle, several residents voiced their opposition, demanding a road instead of a broad gauge rail line[3][4].
In the face of financial concerns and public disapproval, the Mathura-Vrindavan rail link, originally planned to be a massive ₹402 crore investment, has been halted indefinitely. This sports-related project, initially intended to upgrade the existing metre gauge rail line, now seems to be a source of financial strain and strategic miscalculation for the Railways.
