Badlapur Station in Mumbai to get infrastructure upgrade

The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has started to implement the Station Area Traffic Improvement Scheme (SATIS) at Badlapur railway station and has invited bids for planning, designing, and project management consultancy. At present, the road outside Badlapur station is as chaotic as any other station with regards to traffic and pedestrian movement due to the combination of multiple transport modes causing congestion. Objective The aim is to improve overall station access, integrate with other public transport modes, enhance the passenger information system and traffic flow under the station, provide a safe area for pedestrians with convenient transport switchover, and improve aesthetics through urban design. The project includes broader pavements, relocation of bus stops, bus bays, and private vehicle areas, dedicated metro feeder through electric vehicles, route maps, signage, bicycle areas, CCTV surveillance, street furniture, and beautification, among other aspects. The upgrade would take place within a 500-metre radius of the station area, which is the average walking distance for last-mile connectivity to mass transit stations, including railway and metro stations. Revenue will be generated through pay-and-park facilities and by leasing out advertising spaces to recover construction and maintenance costs. In the past, SATIS has been implemented outside the western side of Thane railway station. Currently, a similar plan is being implemented on the Thane East-Kopri side of the railway station. There were also plans to seek World Bank assistance under the Mumbai Urban Transport Project (MUTP) to implement SATIS outside railway stations at Borivali, Dadar, Ghatkopar, Chembur, Andheri, and Malad, but this plan was not executed. Also read: Railways approves ROB for Habibganj-AIIMS link Goa to build 6-lane elevated corridor on EPC model