Mumbai's Lifeline: Central Railway increases local train services

In a bid to reduce overcrowding in locals trains amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the Central Railway has introduced 68 additional special suburban services in Mumbai from Thursday. Out of these 68 services, 46 will be on the mainline (Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus to Kasara, Khopoli and Karjat), and 22 on the harbour line (CSMT to Panvel and Goregaon), the Central Railway (CR) said in a release.

With this, the total number of special services of CR in suburban Mumbai has gone up to 423 from 355 earlier. ”In order to maintain social distancing and avoid crowding, the Central Railway has taken the decision to increase the number of daily special suburban services from 355 to 423 from September 24,” CR’s chief public relations officer Shivaji Sutar said.

The Central Railway and the Western Railway started special local train services from June 15 on Mumbai suburban section on the request of the Maharashtra government. Out of 423 services of CR, 329 are on the main line, 92 on the harbour line and two on the trans-harbour line (Thane-Vashi and Thane-Panvel).