Chairman and CEO of the Railway Board reviewed ongoing improvements at Khar Road station and advocated for the introduction of 15‑coach local trains wherever infrastructure allows. During a late-night site visit, the official arrived at Khar Road station just after 10:00 PM and inspected station modernisation works under the Mumbai Urban Transport Project (MUTP) 3A. The project, costing ₹85 crore for Khar Road alone, is part of a larger ₹950 crore programme covering redevelopment of 17 key suburban stations across the city.
Praised for its rapid progress, the upgrade at Khar Road now includes platform-lengthening provisions to facilitate longer rakes. Officials from MRVC were instructed to evaluate platform designs and confirm whether all stations on the Western line can accommodate 15-coach EMUs—effectively boosting peak-hour capacity and reducing congestion. Transport experts suggest that extending local services to 15 coaches could increase capacity by nearly 50% compared to current 12-coach services, thereby alleviating overcrowding and improving service quality. Implementation would require coordinated action across depot scheduling, signalling updates, and crew management.
Following the inspection, Mumbai’s railway leadership emphasised that capacity expansion complements broader ambitions to modernise India’s rail infrastructure. The daily suburban ridership of over 70 lakh commuters requires continual innovation to stay efficient, safe, and commuter-friendly. In addition to the railway inspection, the Chairman also reviewed Nashik station preparations for the upcoming Simhastha Kumbh Mela 2027. In Nashik, Central Railway has approved 33 projects to upgrade station infrastructure, of which tenders have been floated for 22 and seven already cleared.
By linking infrastructure improvements at station level with system-wide operational changes, the proposed 15-coach initiative could mark a significant shift in Mumbai’s commuter rail strategy. Authorities now await technical feasibility studies and revised operating timelines before final endorsement.
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