Mumbai’s local train network operates on a razor-thin margin of timing and coordination. Even a slight delay can cascade through the system, impacting thousands of commuters within minutes. Yet, one persistent
challenge keeps disrupting the flow: late-arriving long-distance trains entering the city during peak early morning hours. These delays overlap with local services at the busiest time of day. To tackle this, Central Railway (CR) has devised a new plan aimed at freeing up track space and boosting punctuality on its suburban routes.
At the heart of the proposal is a plan to shift five pairs of long-distance trains that currently terminate at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) and Dadar Terminus, as reported by Hindustan Times. These trains would instead arrive and depart from Lokmanya Tilak Terminus (LTT) and Panvel. Railway officials said this change could release valuable path slots on the Central line. The freed capacity is expected to be equivalent to running nearly 15 additional suburban services on the CSMT–Kasara and CSMT–Karjat corridor.
How Late Long-Distance Trains Disrupt Local Services In Mumbai
According to the report citing railway officials, suburban operations are particularly vulnerable during early morning hours. Trains scheduled to reach Mumbai between 4 AM and 5 AM often arrive much later, especially during the winter months when dense fog in northern India affects schedules. In several cases, arrivals are delayed until 7 AM or even 8 AM. These late entries directly interfere with local train movements between 7 AM and 11 AM, which is the heaviest travel window for office-goers and students.
Local services coming towards Mumbai from Kasara and Karjat are among the worst-impacted. Trains such as Godan Express, Chhapra Express, Mumbai LTT Superfast Express, Mahanagari Express, Kamayani Express and Kashi Express are frequently delayed. As a result, suburban trains are forced to slow down or wait for clearance. This leads to delays of 20 to 25 minutes during peak hours. Officials estimate that nearly 40 to 50 suburban services are affected every day during both peak and non-peak periods.
Trains That Will Be Shifted
Central Railway has identified several long-distance trains for the proposed terminal change. These include Rajyarani Express, Nagercoil Express, Dadar–Tirunelveli Superfast Express, Thiruvananthapuram Central Express and Hapa Duronto. Along with shifting their terminals, CR has also proposed increasing the length of these trains. The plan suggests extending them from the current 16 to 20 coaches to a full 24-coach formation to accommodate more passengers.
In addition to terminal changes, the proposal also includes rescheduling six other pairs of long-distance trains by 10 minutes to as much as seven hours, depending on operational feasibility.
Expected Relief For Daily Commuters
Railway officials say the benefits for suburban commuters could be substantial. “The mere change in terminuses away from CSMT and Dadar will help us run 15 additional suburban services. Six of these can be operated during morning and evening peak hours, increasing carrying capacity without any public money spent. We are awaiting a go-ahead so it can be implemented,” a CR official said as quoted by Hindustan Times. If approved, the plan could allow an additional 40,000 to 50,000 commuters to be accommodated during peak hours on the Central line.
But passenger groups have raised concerns about the impact on long-distance travellers. They have warned that shifting trains to Panvel or LTT could cause inconvenience, particularly for passengers travelling with luggage. “This could benefit lakhs of daily local train commuters, but it comes at the cost of long-distance passengers who will be inconvenienced. Going to Panvel with luggage will be an issue,” Madhu Kotian, president of the Mumbai Railway Pravasi Sangh, told the outlet.
Officials also noted that a few additional rakes may be required to operate the extra suburban services. The Railways also plans to reintroduce 14 AC local services on the Harbour line from January 26.
