Ganpati special trains will be expanded across the Mumbai-Konkan travel corridor this year, with railway authorities announcing 386 services and four additional unreserved trips between Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) and Sawantwadi Road from September 12 to 14. The move is intended to manage the seasonal surge of passengers travelling to and returning from Konkan during the Ganeshotsav period.
The 386 special trains include 258 operated by Central Railway, 64 by Western Railway, 58 by Konkan Railway and six by South Central Railway. Central Railway has also decided to run additional unreserved services on the CSMT-Sawantwadi Road route in response to rising demand.
More than 2.50 lakh passengers have already made reservations for travel to and from Konkan, according to information provided by Central Railway. Around one lakh additional passengers are expected to travel without reservations, increasing pressure on regular services and major stations along the route.
A new daily Mumbai-Sawantwadi Road express began operating on September 8. In addition, train number 01009 will leave CSMT at 1.45 pm on September 13 and reach Sawantwadi Road at 3 am the following day. The return service, train number 01010, will depart from Sawantwadi Road at 4.05 am on September 14 and arrive at CSMT at 6.15 pm on the same day.
The special services will stop at key stations including Dadar, Thane, Panvel, Roha, Mangaon, Khed, Chiplun, Sangameshwar Road, Ratnagiri, Rajapur Road, Kankavli, Kudal, Sindhudurg and Zarap. These stops connect Mumbai and suburban passengers with several major towns and districts along the Konkan Railway route.
The train composition will include 12 sleeper coaches, six general second-class coaches and two guard brake vans. Tickets for the general coaches will be available through the UTS system and the RailOne app, according to Central Railway information.
The scale of the additional services reflects the recurring transport demand created by Ganeshotsav, when large numbers of Mumbai residents travel to their native places in Konkan. The railway arrangements cover both reserved and unreserved passengers, with the latter expected to form a substantial share of the travel volume.
The additional CSMT-Sawantwadi Road services are scheduled for the September 12-14 period, while the broader programme includes special trains operated by four railway zones. Passengers using the unreserved services will need to obtain tickets through the designated digital platforms before travel.
