Why Has the Borivali-Virar Railway Expansion Crawled? Fifth & Sixth Line Only 18% Done

The project to add a fifth and sixth rail line between Borivali and Virar is progressing slowly, with just 18% completion after nearly two years, due to land and clearance issues.

Mumbai | November 05, 2025: The ambitious Borivali-Virar suburban rail expansion project which aims to add two new tracks (the 5th and 6th lines) along one of Mumbai’s busiest Western Railway corridors is advancing at a sluggish pace.

Launched under the Mumbai Urban Transport Project Phase III-A (MUTP-3A), the project comes with a budget of approximately ₹2,184 crore and plans to build 26 km of dedicated suburban tracks between Borivali and Virar. It’s intended to ease congestion for hundreds of thousands of daily commuters.

However, as of November 2025, just 18 per cent of the physical work has been completed — despite construction having been underway for nearly two years. Officials cite a series of roadblocks. Land acquisition remains unresolved in parts, especially private land and salt-pan areas. Environmental approvals, legal clearances and litigation over certain sections have also delayed progress.

For example, bridge construction and tendering have kicked off in some sections (such as between Dahisar and Vasai), and design approvals are in place, but multiple hurdles remain before full-scale execution can advance.

Critics argue that delays could escalate costs further and prolong commuter inconvenience. They urge railway authorities to fast-track remaining land acquisition, settle legal hurdles, and ensure coordination with environmental agencies.

For many Mumbai suburban commuters, the delay means prolonged overcrowding and reduced reliability even though the additional tracks could eventually improve punctuality and reduce travel strain.

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