Mumbai, June 12: Konkan Railway will not operate its Roll-on/Roll-off (Ro-Ro) service for private cars during this year's Ganesh festival season due to poor demand from passengers.
The railway administration has instead decided to focus on running a record number of Ganpati Special trains to cater to the heavy festive rush between Mumbai and the Konkan region.
Car Ro-Ro service discontinued
Konkan Railway Managing Director Santosh Kumar Jha said the car Ro-Ro service failed to attract enough users despite being introduced as an alternative travel option for motorists.
"People did not prefer the car Ro-Ro service. We received very few bookings, not even 20 cars. Therefore, the scheme has been closed for now. If there is sufficient demand in future, we can restart the facility," he said.
The specialised Ro-Ro service for private vehicles was officially launched on August 23, 2025. It allowed passengers to transport their cars by train while travelling separately. However, the service could not generate the expected response from travellers heading to the Konkan region.
Focus on Ganpati Special trains
With the festival season approaching, Konkan Railway is now concentrating on strengthening passenger train services. Last year, the railway operated 382 Ganpati Special trains to handle the festive rush.
This year, the target has been increased to nearly 400 special trains, making it one of the largest seasonal transport operations undertaken by the railway.
The decision is significant for thousands of Konkan-bound passengers who depend on rail services during Ganeshotsav. Railway officials believe that increasing the number of special trains will benefit a far larger section of travellers than the underutilised car transport service.
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Enhanced services to ease travel
Konkan Railway expects the enhanced train services to provide additional seats and reduce waiting lists during the peak festival travel period, ensuring smoother journeys for devotees returning to their native places for Ganesh celebrations.
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