Digha Railway Station Causes Problems Even Before Opening

The construction of the Digha Railway Station which lies between the Thane station on the central line and the Airoli station on the trans- harbor line started in late 2016. Ever since the lockdown has been lifted, the railway authorities have been assuring the public that the station will be ready for use by November 2022 but that has not happened yet. Moreover due to the ongoing construction work, the daily commuters traveling on the trans- harbor line to and from Thane have been facing numerous problems.

Vinay Chauhaan, a resident of Ghansoli, Navi Mumbai is a daily commuter from Thane who has been facing many issues since the construction of the new station began. He said, “Initially I was very excited for the new station but the delayed work and prolonged time in completing this project has been affecting my daily routine. Trains are getting delayed and there is a lot of dust in that area”. Rohini Khamkar, a daily commuter who travels from Vashi to Thane for college recounts an incident where she had to miss her college lectures due to the incomplete construction work. This led to the trains being delayed for more than 2 hours on a weekday from 9am to 11am. She said, “On days when there are just lectures I do not mind attending college but if this continues during my examinations then it will be a huge obstacle for me.”

According to an official at the site, who wishes to remain anonymous, the Digha station is scheduled to be in working condition from late February 2023. He said that they had experienced a few bumps post the pandemic due to which work was slowed down. However they have overcome all obstacles and are on schedule for the opening ceremony.