Mumbai is gearing up for the annual Ganeshotsav rush with the Central Railway (CR) and Konkan Railway (KR) rolling out over 300 special train services to meet the overwhelming festive demand. With thousands of families set to travel towards Konkan and other destinations, this massive rail mobilisation aims to ease congestion and ensure smoother journeys for devotees and holiday travellers alike.
The Central Railway will operate the highest share of these services—306 trains in total—connecting Mumbai with destinations such as Madgaon, Ratnagiri, Sawantwadi Road, Chiplun, Khed, Pune, and Nagpur. Officials confirmed that this is one of the largest deployment exercises in recent years, structured to handle the surge of passenger volumes typical of the Ganpati season in Maharashtra. A notable addition this year is the augmentation of the Mumbai CSMT–Madgaon–Mumbai CSMT Vande Bharat Express. The train, which usually runs with 8 coaches, has been temporarily expanded to 16 coaches on select days to address soaring demand. According to railway officials, this will significantly increase passenger capacity and improve travel comfort, reducing the bottleneck for those seeking faster and premium travel options.
The Konkan Railway, a lifeline for communities along the coastal stretch, has also stepped up its operations by introducing additional festival specials. While this has created a two-hour delay on certain routes due to single-line limitations, officials maintain that the added services are critical to managing the flood of passengers travelling from Mumbai, Thane and Navi Mumbai to their hometowns. Among the new deployments is a special service between Lokmanya Tilak Terminus and Sawantwadi Road, designed to clear the heavy festive backlog. Experts say the railway’s strategy is not just about meeting demand but also about ensuring equitable access to travel during one of Maharashtra’s most culturally significant events. For many households, the annual trip to Konkan is a non-negotiable tradition, and enhanced rail connectivity offers an affordable and sustainable alternative to road travel, which is already witnessing severe congestion.
From an environmental perspective, the increased reliance on railways is a positive development. Trains remain one of the lowest carbon-emitting modes of transport compared to road or air, and by offering additional services, CR and KR indirectly contribute to reducing vehicular traffic and emissions on highways leading to Konkan. Officials point out that this operational boost represents not only a logistical solution but also a nod towards sustainable festive travel. While delays on Konkan Railway remain a concern, passenger groups say the trade-off is acceptable if it ensures more families can reach home for Ganeshotsav without being stranded. The festive season is also being seen as a test case for how India’s railway system adapts to peak demand cycles while balancing sustainability, affordability, and accessibility.
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