Passengers from Mumbai, Thane, Kalyan and nearby areas have asked the railway administration to introduce a new daily express service between Mumbai CSMT and Kolhapur, citing overcrowding and poor ticket availability on existing trains.
The demand was submitted to Kalyan-Dombivli MP Dr Shrikant Shinde and senior railway officials, according to a report published by Loksatta – Thane on September 10. The request seeks a daily train connecting Mumbai CSMT with Kolhapur to provide an additional travel option for commuters, families and pilgrims.
Passengers currently travelling on the Koyna Express and Mahalaxmi Express reportedly face difficulty securing reserved tickets. Many travellers book tickets as early as six months or three months in advance, leaving limited availability for people who need to travel regularly between the Mumbai region and Kolhapur.
The report said passengers without reserved tickets are sometimes forced to travel standing in general coaches. Kolhapur is home to several religious destinations, and residents from Mumbai, Thane, Kalyan and Palghar frequently travel to the region for pilgrimage and other purposes.
The demand also reflects the movement of people from Kolhapur who live in Mumbai, Thane, Kalyan, Bhiwandi and Navi Mumbai for employment and business. Some return to their hometowns every 15 days or once a month, but reportedly have to cancel or postpone trips when tickets are unavailable. Families travelling together face particular difficulty, according to the report.
The railway administration has not announced an approval, timetable or implementation date for a new Mumbai CSMT–Kolhapur daily express in the supplied report. The next step is consideration of the passenger representation by railway officials.
