New Delhi/Mumbai, Mar 7 (IANS): Spelling cheers for Mumbai train commuters, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs on Thursday approved the Mumbai Urban Transport Project (MUTP) Phase-IIIA, an official said here.

The CCEA, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved the project, estimated to cost Rs 30,849 crore, with a completion cost of Rs 33,690 crore, and expected to be completed within five years.

It will include introduction of air-conditioned coaches with automatic door operation to improve comfort levels and safety of suburban commuters, and seamless travel for long distance by extending and creating rail corridors.

Besides, there will be improved passenger amenities, faster movement at stations, decongestion at entry/exits, and segregating suburban rail operations of both Central Railway and Western Railway in the city.

For increasing safety, capacity and efficiency of the suburban rail network, a new Communication Based Train Control System will be implemented on the 385-km-long suburban route spanning Mumbai, Thane, Palghar and Raigad districts.

The Mumbai suburban railway is the lifeline of the country's commercial capital, used by around eight million commuters daily in 3,000 train services on five corridors.

There is severe overcrowding in the local trains especially during peak hours when the trains have more than four times more passengers than their carrying capacity.