Mumbai Railways Launch Massive Logistical Exercise With Special Trains, Help Desks, And Extra Suburban Services For NEET-UG 2026 Candidates

Mumbai: In a major logistical exercise ahead of the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test undergraduate (NEET-UG) 2026 scheduled for Sunday, June 21, Central Railway and Western Railway announced extensive transport arrangements to ensure smooth travel for lakhs of candidates and their accompanying guardians.

Help Desks at 13 Key Stations

To facilitate students appearing for one of the country's largest entrance examinations, help desks will be set up at 13 key stations — Churchgate (CCG), Mumbai Central (MMCT), Dadar (DDR), Bandra (BA), Andheri (ADH), Borivali (BVI), Bhayandar (BYR), Vasai Road (BSR), Palghar (PLG), Vapi, Bilimora (BL), Navsari (NVS) and Surat (ST).

A total of 26 commercial staff members, along with Railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel, 13 Deputy Station Superintendents (Commercial) and Chief Commercial Inspectors (CMIs), will be deployed at these locations. The staff will guide students regarding examination centres, train connectivity and onward travel options, while also assisting with crowd management, passenger information and security-related support.

Public Announcements Across Stations

Railway officials said special emphasis is being placed on ensuring the smooth movement of candidates and minimising inconvenience during the examination period. Public announcements and passenger information updates will be made regularly across stations.

In view of the expected surge in passenger traffic, Western Railway has planned special trains, including Train No. 09471 (Bandra Terminus–Maninagar Special) and Train No. 09351 (Bandra Terminus–Dr. Ambedkar Nagar Special). Additional special train services connecting Gujarat and Mumbai have also been arranged to assist NEET candidates travelling from outside Maharashtra.

Extra Sunday Suburban Services Announced

One of the most significant measures announced is the operation of weekday suburban services on a Sunday. Western Railway will run all 1,414 suburban services across its network on June 21, while Central Railway will operate 1,820 suburban services, substantially higher than the roughly 1,200 services usually run on Sundays.

Both railways have also cancelled the customary Sunday mega blocks to ensure uninterrupted train movement throughout the day. Officials said the decision was taken to help students reach examination centres on time without facing delays caused by maintenance work.

To address the summer heat and increased footfall, adequate drinking water facilities are being ensured at all designated stations. Station authorities have been instructed to keep water booths and vending points fully functional so that students and accompanying passengers have easy access to safe drinking water.

Field officials will continuously monitor passenger movement and coordinate with station authorities and other departments to provide timely assistance during the examination period.

With lakhs of aspirants expected to travel across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region and neighbouring areas, the railways said the comprehensive arrangements are aimed at reducing travel-related stress and enabling students to focus on their examinations with confidence.

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