Central Railway (CR) plans to introduce air-conditioned (AC) local train services on Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT)–Goregaon route of the Harbour Line soon.
With this, Mumbai may soon get its first AC local train service directly connecting the CR and Western Railway (WR) networks. Railway officials indicated that the service could begin in April, when the new railway timetable comes into effect.
At present, AC local trains operate on the Central, Harbour, and Western Railway corridors. However, there is no AC service on the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT)–Goregaon stretch of the Harbour Line. Central Railway officials are currently examining the feasibility of introducing such a service on this corridor.
If approved, the proposed AC local train on the CSMT–Goregaon route is expected to operate alongside more than 100 existing daily services on the corridor. Officials said the plan is being prepared in response to rising passenger demand on the Harbour Line. The proposal may involve replacing select non-AC services with AC trains, though it has not yet received final approval.
The decision will require coordination between Central Railway and Western Railway. If both zones give their consent, the new AC service could be incorporated into the timetable effective April 1.
Currently, on the Harbour Line, one CSMT–Bandra–Goregaon train operates for every two or three services running towards Vashi and Panvel. The Harbour corridor handles an estimated 3 to 5 lakh passengers daily.
Railway sources noted that operational constraints remain a challenge. Each AC rake can typically complete only 12 to 14 trips per day, which may affect service frequency and scheduling flexibility.
Meanwhile, 14 AC local services have been reinstated on the CSMT–Panvel Harbour route. These form part of the 94 AC services currently operating across the CSMT main and Harbour lines.
Ticket inspection drives have also been intensified. Between January 26 and February 10, inspection teams detected 810 cases of irregular travel in AC local trains on the Harbour Line and recovered fines amounting to ₹2.5 lakh. A dedicated ticket-checking team has been assigned to travel on all 14 daily AC services operating between CSMT and Panvel.
During the same period, ridership on the route increased, with an average of 40,017 passengers recorded between January 26 and February 10.