With limited scope for expanding railway tracks above ground and an enormous daily passenger load, Mumbai’s railway authorities are looking at the possibility of taking part of the suburban network underground. Under the proposal, Western Railway is considering an entirely underground suburban rail corridor connecting Churchgate to Virar.
The groundwork for the proposal was initiated following a letter issued in March 2026, which suggested developing an underground suburban network along this route and conducting a feasibility study. The project’s broad framework was also discussed seriously during the Railway Minister’s visit.
A senior Western Railway official explained that the first step would be to assess whether an underground rail network between Virar and Churchgate is practically feasible. The construction department will begin the feasibility study as soon as the Railway Board approves the required funds.
If the study establishes that the project is technically and financially viable, a Detailed Project Report (DPR) will be prepared. At present, the proposal remains at a very early stage, and no official timeline has been announced for completing the study or commencing construction.
Western Railway currently operates approximately 1,414 suburban train services on this route every day. Developing an underground rail corridor would therefore require an assessment of several technical challenges before the project could move forward.
Excavating underground tunnels and constructing stations beneath Mumbai’s densely populated urban areas would require a substantial budget. Adequate space would also be needed at ground level for station facilities and entry and exit points. In addition, the proposed underground line would have to be integrated effectively with the existing railway tracks above ground and Mumbai’s metro network.
Apart from Western Railway, the Mumbai Railway Vikas Corporation is also conducting studies through an international agency for two separate underground corridors. These include the Churchgate–Virar route and an underground connectivity corridor between Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus and Parel.
The findings of these studies will help clarify the feasibility of the proposed underground connections. For now, the Churchgate–Virar plan remains at the assessment stage, with the Railway Board’s funding approval for the feasibility study emerging as the next crucial step towards determining whether Mumbai could eventually have an underground suburban rail network.
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