Western Railway to Boost Capacity with 12 New Services and 10 Upgraded Trains
In a move to enhance commuter convenience, Western Railway (WR) is set to introduce 12 new suburban train services and upgrade 10 existing 12-car trains to 15-car rakes starting October 1. This expansion will increase WR's total daily services from 1,394 to 1,406, providing much-needed capacity on key routes in Mumbai's bustling local train network.
New Services Across Key Routes
The 12 new services will span across various high-traffic routes, including:
Four trains between Dadar and Virar
One train between Virar and Churchgate
One train between Borivali and Churchgate
Two trains between Churchgate and Andheri
Three trains between Churchgate and Goregaon
One train between Churchgate and Nalasopara
In addition to these new services, six existing trains will be extended, with three running in each direction. Moreover, 16 other services will undergo operational changes, such as shifting from slow to fast services, aimed at reducing travel time for passengers.
Upgrades to 15-Car Trains for Greater Capacity
As part of this upgrade, WR will convert 10 of its existing 12-car services to 15-car rakes. This brings the total number of 15-car trains to 209, up from the current 199, further improving passenger capacity during peak hours.
This development follows WR's previous efforts to boost capacity, including increasing air-conditioned services from 79 to 96 last year. In October 2022, the total services had already been increased from 1,375 to 1,383, with a focus on expanding 15-car and air-conditioned services to meet growing passenger demand.
Timetable Revisions as Part of Annual Schedule Update
These changes are part of the Indian Railways’ annual timetable update, which is mandated by the Railway Board every October. While both suburban and long-distance train services typically undergo revisions during this period, WR has opted to focus solely on suburban services this year. Adjustments to long-distance services are expected in January to minimize disruptions for travelers.
A senior WR official, who requested anonymity, explained that the redeployment of a rake from the CSMT-Borivali Harbour route to the Churchgate-Virar route is among the key changes aimed at streamlining operations.
With these improvements, WR is gearing up to offer more efficient and comfortable services for Mumbai's suburban commuters, addressing the increasing demand for higher-capacity trains.