Mumbai, April 29: In a major capacity push ahead of peak summer travel, Western Railway and Central Railway will roll out additional suburban services from May 1, including longer trains and more air-conditioned (AC) trips. The move is expected to ease crowding and improve commuter comfort, especially on long-distance suburban stretches.
Western Railway expands services
Western Railway will introduce 17 additional 15-coach non-AC services, taking the total number of such trips from 227 to 244. Notably, 15-coach locals will run for the first time on the Virar–Dahanu Road corridor, a key relief for commuters in the extended suburbs.
Of the 17 new trips, eight will operate on the Virar–Dahanu stretch and nine between Churchgate and Virar. Officials said two new 15-coach rakes from ICF are being inducted, one of which has already arrived.
However, due to platform constraints, these longer trains will not halt at Grant Road, Charni Road and Marine Lines. At Dadar, the trains will have a double halt on platform 4. Alongside, Western Railway will add 12 new AC services, raising weekday AC trips from 133 to 145, and weekend services from 106 to 118. Minor timetable changes will accompany the expansion.
Central Railway doubles AC trips
On the Harbour line, Central Railway will add 14 new AC services between Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus and Panvel, doubling the AC frequency from 14 to 28 daily trips.
Officials said the rollout aligns with Maharashtra Day and responds to growing commuter demand for AC travel during summer. Currently, around 40,000 passengers use AC locals daily on the Harbour line, with average ticket sales of about 4,500 per day.
Commuters have welcomed the additional AC services but flagged punctuality concerns. “AC trains are comfortable, but delays due to door operations affect regular services running behind them,” a frequent Harbour line passenger said, urging the railways to balance capacity expansion with timetable discipline.
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Relief for suburban commuters
Overall, the combined additions are expected to improve load distribution, reduce overcrowding, and offer more comfortable travel options across Mumbai’s suburban network, one of the busiest in the world.
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