In view of the rapid and sustained growth in passenger travel demand, Indian Railways has planned to double the capacity of major cities to originate new trains over the next five years. To meet future requirements, existing railway infrastructure will be augmented in a comprehensive and time-bound manner.
The works planned to achieve doubling of train handling capacity by 2030 include expansion of terminals with additional platforms, new pit lines, holding and stabling lines, improved shunting arrangements, creation of new terminals in and around urban areas, development of maintenance infrastructure including mega coaching complexes, and enhancement of sectional capacity through signalling upgradation, traffic facility works, and multitracking. A comprehensive plan covering 48 major cities across the country is under consideration, with capacity being increased progressively over the next five years so that benefits accrue immediately.
According to a press release issued by Chief Public Relations Officer of Western Railway, Vineet Abhishek, WR has identified six major cities under its jurisdiction for capacity enhancement under this national plan. These are at Mumbai, Surat, Vadodara, Ahmedabad, Ujjain and Indore. Capacity augmentation in these cities will be undertaken in a phased manner through terminal expansion, development of maintenance and stabling infrastructure, and improvement of sectional capacity, in line with future traffic requirements.
Enhancement of Long Distance Train Capacity in Mumbai region
Western Railway is undertaking significant measures to enhance passenger train handling capacity in the Mumbai region. These include new terminuses, additional lines, new maintenance facilities, platform extensions, and many more.
Western Railway currently handles 44 long distance trains from Mumbai area and with these infrastructure work, Western Railway plans to introduce approx. 65 more long distance trains. More over existing trains will be augmented by approx. 70 coaches per day.
Several works with a total cost of Rs 6857 cr for increasing line capacity are being carried out on Mumbai Central – Dahanu Road section to reduce congestion and improve travel conditions. The Mumbai Central–Borivali 6th line project under MUTP-II, covering 30 km, is under execution in two phases at a cost of Rs 919 crore. Under Phase I commissioning of Khar–Kandivali has been completed, while work is in final stages for Kandivali–Borivali stretch, which will be completed by January 2026. On completion of this, trains from & to Bandra Terminus will have dedicated two lines on this section. There will be better segregation of suburban and mainline traffic. It will help in capacity enhancement and running additional long-distance trains from Mumbai area due to availability of dedicated lines.
Further the Borivali–Virar 5th & 6th line project at a cost of Rs 2184 cr and Virar–Dahanu 3rd & 4th line project at a cost of Rs 3578 crore are also being executed at a fast pace. This will again generate additional line capacity on Borivali-Virar section and Virar -Dahanu section respectively, resulting in availability of more capacity to run long distance trains on these sections. Moreover, the construction of Naigaon–Juichandra double chord line at a cost of Rs 176 cr, is also being executed, which will enable direct connectivity towards the Konkan Railway, without loco reversal at Vasai Road, paving the way for new train services and smoother travel for passengers from Western suburbs towards Konkan, Goa and beyond. Collectively, these initiatives aim to improve punctuality, reduce congestion, and provide a more comfortable travel experience for millions of commuters.
New Terminus for long distance trains is being built at Jogeshwari with three platforms. Work is progressing rapidly and expected to be completed by mid-next year. At the same time a new terminus for long distance trains is being constructed at Vasai Road station. Two new platforms are being provided and work is expected to be completed by Dec, 2027. In addition to the new terminuses, new platforms are being provided and maintenance facilities are also being enhanced at existing terminals, viz Mumbai Central, Bandra Terminius and Dadar.
At Mumbai Central, existing sick line is being extended for integrated maintenance while at Dadar one new platform is being provided. At Bandra Terminus, three new Pit lines have been commissioned. In addition to these under construction works, more works are planned which include extension of platform number 5 at Mumbai Central for 24 coaches and two new pit lines. At Jogeshwari, two more platforms and two pit lines are also planned in phase II, while at Vasai Road, development of coaching terminal and one pit line is also planned.
Increase in Suburban Services
At present Western Railway runs 1406 suburban services daily through 116 rakes maintained at three car sheds. With completion of various infrastructure work viz Mumbai Central-Borivali 6th line, Borivali – Virar 5th and 6th lines and Virar – Dahanu Road 3rd and 4th line, the suburban traffic will get segregated from Main Line traffic.
This will release additional capacity for suburban operations. At the same time, the work for extension of harbour line from Goregaon to Borivali is also moving at a fast pace. In addition, extension of platform lengths on Bandra – Andheri section to 15 car is also planned. With completion of these infrastructure upgradation works, it is planned to run additional 165 suburban services.
The capacity enhancement programme on Western Railway, in line with the national plan, is being implemented through immediate, short-term, and long-term action plans with clearly defined timelines and outcomes. While the overall objective is to double train handling capacity by 2030, the planned works will ensure progressive capacity addition over the next five years, enabling early realisation of benefits for passengers and smoother train operations.
Ashwini Vaishnaw, Union Minister of Railways, Information & Broadcasting, and Electronics & Information Technology, said, “We're expanding coaching terminals, enhancing sectional and operational capacities in various cities to meet rising passenger demand and reduce congestion. This move will upgrade our railway network and improve nationwide connectivity.’