The number of passengers on the new Nerul-Uran route has increased significantly in the last few months. To deal with the increasing congestion, the Central Railway (CR) has decided to start 20 new local trains on the Nerul-Uran route on the Harbor line starting October 2025.
The increased services - 10 up and 10 down trains - will be included in the new timetable set for October, taking the total number of train services on the route from 40 to 60.
There was a continuous demand from the passengers to increase the number of local trains on this route. It is pertinent to note that it will be followed by the proposed inauguration of the Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA).
Daily ridership figures highlight Belapur as the busiest station with 1.35 lakh passengers, followed by Nerul (93,731), Seawoods Darave (52,016), Bamandongri (19,867), Kharkopar (12,684), Nhava Sheva (4067), Dronagiri (2103), and Uran. The additional services are expected to ease travel and reduce congestion for commuters on the route.
The number of passengers on the Nerul-Uran route is less compared to the Central, Harbour and Trans harbour routes of the Central Railway. Currently, 40 trains run on this route every day, including 20 between Nerul-Uran and 20 between Uran-Belapur.
At present, trains on this route run at one-hour intervals during peak hours and 90-minute intervals during non-peak hours, due to comparatively lower passenger numbers than the main, harbour, and trans-harbour lines.
Now, the number will go up to 30 trips on both sides. Increasing the number of local trains will also reduce the interval between two trains. The railway administration has also clarified that the trains will be increased further if needed.