LTT to replace Dadar as outstation hub

Mumbai: Dadar will cease to be a station for long-distance trains in five or six years, by when Lokmanya Tilak Terminus (LTT) will be upgraded from five to 12 platforms to bear Dadar's load. At present, Dadar serves eight long-distance trains. "Platform lengths at Dadar cannot be increased because of space constraints, preventing us from running longer trains," said a Central Railway (CR) official.      The Railway Board has accepted a proposal by CR to upgrade LTT, which "will bring facilities there on a par with that at the airport, though on a smaller scale", the official said. "It will have seamless connectivity with other modes of transport. There will be a mall, multi-storey parking, escalators, restaurants, food courts, better signage and indicators, budget hotels and an aesthetically pleasing exterior and interior."      The project will be implemented on public-private partnership (PPP) at an estimated cost of Rs 5,000-6,000 crore. It will be executed by the Railway Land Development Authority by using 20 acres of land that CR possesses around LTT. LTT project to exploit 20 acres railway land  Mumbai: Central Railway general manager Subodh Jain has said a call for expression of interest for the Lokmanya Tilak Terminus (LTT) project is likely to be issued within six months. Construction work is likely to begin in 18 months, by when the tendering process is expected to be over. Income for the project will be generated by FSI sale and lease rent from  the bid winner. The railways aim to time the bidding process with the opening of the Santacruz-Chembur Link Road (SCLR), which will improve east-west connectivity, providing quick access to LTT. "We are confident of receiving premium quotes in bids. After all, LTT is located in the heart of Mumbai," a CR official said.  LTT PROJECT  Implementation mode |  Public-private partnership  Estimated cost |  5,000-6,000 crore  Authority | Railway Land Development Authority, which was established by the railway ministry for generating nontariff revenue through commercial exploitation of railway land  Land | 20 acres, owned by Central Railway around LTT