The lifeline of Mumbai has its own glorious history of serving people carrying them from different corners of the city to their desired destinations for their jobs, business or another purpose. Have you ever thought that when the first local service started, what was its reach and its format? It dates back to over 155 years, when the first local train service of the city ferried between Back Bay (somewhere between Marine Lines and Churchgate) and Viraur (now called as Virar) on April 12, 1867. The history of railway is revealed in the 1923 issue of Bombay Baroda and Central Indian (BB&CI) railway company official magazine.
The four-car service was a venture of the Bombay Baroda and Central Indian (BB&CI) railway company, which are the antecedent of Western Railway. The company’s hard-fought suburban enterprise, officially designated the local, chugged out of what is now Virar till a station in Bombay Back Bay, which can be located between present-day Churchgate and Marine Lines stations. The train used to leave Viraur at 6.45 am for Back Bay in up direction and leave from Back Bay at 5.30 pm for Viraur in the down direction.
The stations it halted at en route were: Neela or (Nalasopara), Bassein (Vasai), Panjo (between two creeks of Vasai), Berewla (Borivali), Pahadee (Goregaon), Andaru (Andheri), Santa Cruz, Bandora (Bandra), Mahim, Dadure (Dadar), and Grant Road. The time took to travel between Virar and Backbay was less than the Churchgate-Virar local takes today, since there weren’t few stations in between.
"The train had three classes, and the common people usually travelled in the second-class, which cost 7 paise per mile if you boart the train at Back Bay. The other stations would cost two paise more as they weren’t as strapped for space. The third-class fare was three paise. (16 paise made an anna, and 16 annas made a rupee.) The train, which had an exclusive coach for women in the second-class section, also had a smoking zone. And if you lit up outside it, you had to pay a penalty of Rs 20" said AK Shrivastava, former chief operation manager of western railway, who served Indian railways for over 30 years.
"Though it was the Central Railways precursor, the Great Indian Peninsula Railway, which started the country’s first train from Thane to Bori Bunder on April 16, 1853. But it wasn’t a local. The name ‘local’ was introduced for the first time in the railway’s timetable on February 1, 1865, for the section up to Kalyan to the north and Mahim to the west." further added Shrivastava.
According to official journal of BB&CI, between 1867 to 1870 only one train each way between Back Bay and Viraur ( now virar,) was running and sufficient to catter the demand that time. After that train started witnessing crowd, as a result, the number of trains were increased. The new services included trains from Bandra and Andheri. "From 1870 onwards the train service was increased to 5 trains a day each way." revealed the article published in 1923 issue of BB&CI official journal.
On June 10, 1869, monthly and quarterly season tickets were introduced on the BB&CI Railway upto Bandra for Ist and IInd class commuters.
Currently, WR operates 1367 trains and the daily average number of passengers is around 28 lakh. However, before Covid-19 daily average number of WRs local commuters was around 35 lakh.
Chronology of Mumbai Local
April 12, 1867: First local starts from Viraur now Virar.
By 1892, BB&CI increases services, with 4 Virar, 1 Borivali, and 27 Bandra locals
In1870 ,Churchgate station opened
In 1873, Colaba Terminus commissioned
By 1900, Services raised to 5 Virar, 7 Borivali, 3 Andheri, 29 Bandra-bound locals
In 1930, Colaba station was closed
In 1936, Steam engines are withdrawn from service; Borivili–Virar section electrified
In March 1961: Introduction of 9-car trains
1972: Total number of services crosses the 500 mark
1986: Introduction of 12-car trains
1992: Introduction of special trains for ladies and reserved seating for seniors.
2003: Total number of services crosses the 1,000 mark.
In November 2009 , 15 car local services introdued in WR.
In December 2017 , air-conditioned local train services were introduced.
Currently WR running 1367 local trains daily.
