Central Railway (CR) is planning a major infrastructure upgrade to enhance the capacity of Mumbai's suburban rail network on its main line. This project will involve the extension of platforms at all suburban stations beyond Thane. "If things go according to the plan, all stations beyond Thane on the main line will be able to accomodate 15 car local trains by the end of the next financial year. This development is expected to create an additional carrying capacity of nearly 2.25 lakh daily commuters, easing congestion on one of the busiest suburban routes of the Central Railway" said an official.

Currently, only the Dombivli and Kalyan stations have platforms capable of handling 15-car locals on fast corridor only, limiting the number of 15-car train services. At present, CR runs only 22 services with 15-car rakes because most stations beyond Thane lack the necessary infrastructure.

Expanding Capacity on CRs Suburban Corridor

A senior official from Central Railways highlighted the need for platform extensions, stating, “We have conducted a feasibility study between Thane and Kalyan for the extension of all platforms on the slow corridor to handle 15-car trains. The report confirms that this extension is feasible, and the proposal is at an advanced stage. Once approved by the competent authority, the tendering process will begin, with completion targeted by the end of the next financial year."

The platform extension work is already sanctioned for the Kalyan-Asangaon and Kalyan-Badlapur sections, with further proposals in the pipeline for extending platforms on the Badlapur-Karjat and Asangaon-Kasara routes. These proposals are currently being prepared for approval and will be submitted to higher authorities soon.

Platform Extensions at  CSMT

A senior CR officials have confirmed that currently only platform number seven at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) can accommodate 15-car locals,  The platforms five and six are under consideration for similar modifications. Recent study show that these two platforms  ( five and seven) of CSMT are suitable for expansion, and once completed, CSMT will be also able to handle more 15-car services, helping distribute the load more efficiently across the network.

Stabling Facilities and Future Prospects

In addition to platform extensions, the CR has also identified stabling lines for parking the additional 15-car rakes for the proposed station in Kurla crashed and Kalwa crashed. This step is crucial as longer trains require larger parking facilities during non-operational hours. According to an official, "In the current situation, the extension of platforms at all suburban stations beyond Thane is the most suitable project  for increasing the carrying capacity of suburban trains."

Once the platform extension work along with other related works completed, Central Railways will be able to convert at least 200 of its 12-car trains into 15-car locals, effectively adding 600 coaches to the fleet. This will equate to the introduction of an additional 50 trains and significantly increase the carrying capacity, allowing for an estimated 2.25 lakh more commuters to travel daily.

A Critical Boost for Mumbai’s Lifeline, Says Expert 

The planned platform extensions and introduction of more 15-car locals will provide much-needed relief to daily commuters, many of whom face severe overcrowding during peak hours. "The move is seems part of a broader effort by the Central Railways to modernize and enhance the capacity of its suburban network to keep pace with the city’s growing population and commuter needs" said a transport experts adding that this ambitious project will definitely revolutionize suburban travel by easing congestion and enhancing commuter safety and comfort, while also significantly boosting the overall capacity of the network.

Officials Divided Over The Benefits of The 15-Car Local Trains

According to sources, planning is underway for the extension of platforms beyond Thane, with ongoing discussions about the benefits of this extension. Some officials are divided over the merits of 15-car local trains, expressing concerns that adding more 15-car trains might adversely affect the frequency of local services.

However, in the Western Railway (WR) suburban section, around 200 services of 15-car trains are successfully operating between Andheri and Virar, one of its busiest routes. A senior official of Central Railway (CR) noted that when the plan for platform extension to accommodate 15-car locals beyond Andheri was developed, similar concerns were raised by few WR officials. Today, however, the decision is widely praised for increasing the carrying capacity of the section.

On the other hand, another official from Central Railway (CR) stated, "Implementing the plan for 15-car local trains on the slow corridor between Thane and Kalyan is very difficult. The Mumbai Rail Vikas Corporation conducted a study on this years ago, highlighting serious issues with inter-signal distances."