As the annual Ganesh festival draws thousands of devotees back to their hometowns in the Konkan region, the Central Railway has announced a series of special train services from Mumbai’s Lokmanya Tilak Terminus (LTT) to key destinations including Sawantwadi and Madgaon. The services, scheduled between August 22 and 31, aim to ease travel demand during one of Maharashtra’s busiest festive seasons.
Railway officials confirmed that two daily trains will connect LTT to Sawantwadi throughout the ten-day period. Train No. 01167 will depart at 9 pm, reaching Sawantwadi at 9:20 am the next day, while Train No. 01171 will leave at 8:20 am, arriving at 9 pm. Both services will operate with six general coaches, catering to the heavy rush of unreserved passengers who rely on affordable festival-time travel. To further meet demand, additional daytime and overnight services have been announced. On August 25, Train No. 01003 will depart LTT at 8:30 am for Madgaon with four general coaches. A day later, Train No. 01129 will leave at 8:45 am for Sawantwadi. Two overnight services have also been planned for Madgaon, with Train No. 01165 operating as a fully air-conditioned special from August 26 and Train No. 01185, with general coaches, following on August 27.
In addition, another Sawantwadi-bound train, No. 01131, will run on August 28 and August 31, offering passengers more flexibility during the peak holiday season. These services are expected to significantly reduce crowding on regular Konkan-bound trains, which traditionally run over capacity during Ganesh festival travel. The trains will halt at major intermediate stations including Thane, Panvel, Pen, Roha, Chiplun, Ratnagiri, Kankavli and Kudal. This ensures connectivity not just to end destinations, but also to smaller Konkan towns that experience heavy festive footfall. Railway planners emphasised that the services have been designed keeping in mind regional demand patterns, with a balance of daytime and overnight options.
Officials highlighted that beyond passenger convenience, the services are critical in reducing the dependence on private buses and cars during the festival. The annual rush to Konkan often results in traffic congestion, long travel hours, and higher carbon emissions on the Mumbai-Goa highway. By running additional trains, Central Railway aims to encourage public transport use and promote sustainable festive travel. The Ganesh festival, beginning on August 22, is expected to draw lakhs of people to Konkan from Mumbai, Thane and Pune. For railways, this period is not only a logistical challenge but also an opportunity to strengthen the eco-friendly mobility agenda by reducing road-based emissions. While seats are likely to sell out quickly, officials encouraged passengers to book early and consider off-peak services for smoother travel.
With these additional services, Central Railway hopes to balance faith-driven mobility with sustainable public transport, ensuring that festive joy is not dampened by travel chaos.
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