Mumbai gets a new suburban terminus

Parel, the locality of Mumbai that is emblematic of the rapid gentrification of the city, has finally got a suburban train terminus.

The terminus was jointly inaugurated by Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Minister for Railways and Coal Piyush Goyal, at a function held at Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus.

Historically, Parel was famous for a large number of textile mills in the area. In the past two decades, a lot of corporate business centres and commercial hubs have been developed in the area where the mills were present. This has led to a huge influx of commuters from Prabhadevi station. 

Parel is also renowned for its medical facilities. Institutions like the Tata Memorial Hospital, King Edward Memorial Hospital, Wadia Hospital are located in the vicinity of Parel station. "There has also been a long pending demand to start Suburban EMU trains from Parel to facilitate a large number of patients," Central Railway (CR) officials said.

Apart from this, Parel station has become an increasingly important junction point between the Central and Western lines. 

Considering the increase in footfall, it was planned to create a new suburban terminus for EMU local trains at Parel for the convenience of commuters of Mumbai Metropolitan Region.

Several facilities have been created at Parel, like the widening of existing platforms, double-discharge platforms, a 12-metre-wide footover bridge and an escalator.

"This will result in decongestion and quicker dispersal of passengers. A large number of patients who come to for medical treatment in Parel, people working in corporate business centres and commercial hubs, flower market vendors and commuters of both Central and Western Railway will benefit from Parel being a junction point," CR officials said.