Mumbai: Rs 1800-crore Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) Redevelopment Project To Be awarded In Mid-March, 9 Firms In Race

Union Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Friday said the Rs 1800-crore Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) redevelopment project in Mumbai will be awarded in mid-March.

''Middle of March the tender will be allotted. Every authority in Mumbai has given its go-ahead for the project,'' Vaishnaw said while making a presentation on the railways.

He said huge space will be created in the otherwise space-starved city and also assured that the movement of people will be smooth.

CSMT is one of the busiest railway stations in the country, handling approximately 16-17 lakh passengers per day.

Rail Land Development Authority (RLDA) is executing the redevelopment of the heritage property. It floated tenders inviting major real estate players last year for the project. The redevelopment project has been on the drawing board for some years now.

L&T, Tata Projects Ltd., NCC Ltd., J.K. Infra Projects Ltd., ITD Cementation, Ahluwalia Contractors, Dineshchandra R. Agrawal Infracon Pvt. Ltd., Creative Group LLP, Assystem STUP are among entities reportdely in the race to bag the project.

Earlier, the redevelopment was assigned to the now defunct Indian Railway Station Development Corporation (RSDC) but RLDA was later made the project implementation authority. The project will be carried out on a EPC (Engineering, Procurement, and Construction) model after Railways decided not to pursue the previous PPP- DBFOT (Design, Build, Finance, Operate and Transfer) model.

The redevelopment of the CSMT, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is planned with a view to decongest the southern heritage node of the terminus, augmentation of facilities, better multi-modal integration and to conserve and restore the world famous iconic structure to its past glory.

There were many big real estate players in the race to bag the prestigious project.

The Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus, formerly known as Victoria Terminus Station is an outstanding example of Victorian Gothic Revival architecture in India, blended with themes deriving from Indian traditional architecture.

The building, designed by the British architect F W Stevens, became the symbol of Mumbai (then Bombay) as the ‘Gothic City’ and the major international mercantile port of India.

The terminal was built over 10 years, starting in 1878 and now it is ready for redevelopment after getting all due clearances.

Besides, CSMT, New Delhi Station and Ahmedabad stations are also to be redeveloped for which multi-crore tenders have been floated.

According to the Railways, the redevelopment of railway stations across the country will have a multiplier effect on the economy with increased job creation and improved economic growth.

The project also envisages provision of a spacious Roof Plaza, facilities such as food court, waiting lounge, children play area, designated space for local products, etc.

The modification will integrate various modes of transport, like the Metro, bus etc., and will also integrate both sides of the city with the railway stations. The construction of station infrastructure will adopt green building technology and facilities for disabled persons as well.

The stations will be developed on the concept of intelligent building, having state-of-the-art facilities for passengers. It will create ‘City Centre’ like space at the station for the railway commuters, as well as, the general public.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for redevelopment of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) tomorrow (19 January).

Also Read: 36 Hectares, Rs 1,800 Crore: Here's A Look At CSMT Redevelopment Project Which PM Modi Will Inaugurate On 19 January

(The originally published article was updated to correct the wrongly-stated contract value of the project. Error is regretted)