Mumbai’s suburban and long-distance rail passengers are set to experience improved connectivity as the Central Railway has introduced new halts for 52 trains across 22 stations. The move, announced by the Ministry of Railways, is being implemented on an experimental basis and is expected to make train travel more accessible for passengers across divisions.
According to the details released, the Mumbai division will see 14 trains gaining additional stops across four stations. This includes Igatpuri, Pen, Roha, and Bhiwandi Road, where major trains such as the Vidarbha Express, Amravati Superfast Express, Shirdi Express, and Garibrath Express will now halt. These adjustments, effective from early September, are designed to strengthen regional links and ensure better last-mile connectivity. The Pune division has witnessed the most extensive changes, with 22 trains set to halt at 11 different stations. Officials explained that this decision was based on passenger demand and the need to cater to emerging travel patterns between Pune and semi-urban locations. With the region experiencing rising population density and urban expansion, additional halts are being seen as a necessary intervention to improve access without expanding the fleet.
In Solapur and Bhusaval divisions, six trains each have been allocated new stops at three and two stations respectively. The adjustments aim to serve commuters in smaller towns that previously had limited direct access to long-distance services. Similarly, in the Nagpur division, four trains will now make halts at two designated stations, helping rural passengers connect to larger cities without extensive road travel. Officials stated that these halts will be monitored over the coming months to evaluate passenger turnout and operational efficiency. If the trial proves successful, the halts could become permanent features in the Central Railway timetable. Experts noted that such decisions, while small in scale, have a significant cumulative impact on passenger satisfaction, travel equity, and reducing dependence on road transport.
In addition to intercity services, the Western Railway has announced that it will run six pairs of special Mumbai local trains during the night of September 6-7 to manage the surge of passengers during Ganpati immersion on Anant Chaturdashi. This is aimed at preventing overcrowding and ensuring safer travel for devotees heading to immersion sites. These measures, while operational in nature, reflect a growing emphasis on building inclusive, passenger-friendly transport systems. By expanding halts without increasing train counts, the railways are striving to balance sustainability with convenience, aligning with broader goals of reducing carbon footprint while serving diverse passenger needs. The Central Railway has urged passengers to check the revised timetables and plan journeys accordingly.
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