A proposal to permanently cancel the halts of Kasara- and Asangaon-bound fast suburban trains at Diva and Dombivli has triggered a dispute between passenger organisations on Mumbai’s Central Railway network. The Kalyan-Kasara Railway Passengers Welfare Association has supported the proposal, while the Sangharsh Konkan Railway Passengers’ Association has opposed it.
The Kalyan-Kasara association has argued that fast trains become severely crowded when passengers board and alight at Diva and Dombivli. According to the organisation, commuters often have to push through packed platforms and coaches, creating the risk of scuffles and accidents. It has asked Central Railway to consider the permanent removal of these halts, citing Western Railway’s decision to cancel the Borivali halt for some suburban services as a precedent.
The demand was raised by association secretary Umesh Vishe. He said Central Railway had not planned a permanent solution for the crowding problem, apart from reducing train speeds in the Mumbra area. The association has therefore called for a decision similar to the one taken for Borivali, arguing that it could provide relief to passengers using the wider Kalyan-Kasara corridor.
The proposal has been rejected by the Sangharsh Konkan Railway Passengers’ Association. Its president, Vijay Bhoir, said Diva and Dombivli could not be compared directly with Borivali. The association said a large number of passengers use Diva and Dombivli stations and that Diva alone handles nearly two lakh passenger journeys each morning, according to the report.
Bhoir said passenger organisations should instead demand additional services between Diva and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus during peak hours. He argued that the fast trains running from Kasara and Asangaon towards Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus pass through Diva, giving commuters there an important travel option. Removing that access, he said, would take away an available service without addressing the underlying demand for more trains.
The opposing organisation also questioned whether the number of services from Borivali to Churchgate could be compared with the number of suburban trains operating from Dombivli towards Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus. It said the focus should be on improving passenger services rather than cancelling stops at stations used by large numbers of commuters.
The dispute comes as crowding at Diva and Dombivli remains a concern for passengers boarding and alighting from fast suburban trains. The report does not include a response from Central Railway on whether it is examining the proposal, nor does it specify any decision or implementation timeline. The next step would be an official response from the railway administration on the feasibility of retaining the halts, adding services or changing peak-hour operations.
