Mumbai: In a relief to lakhs of commuters, the Central Railway (CR) has initiated several steps to ease the congestion at Dadar and Thane stations, two of the most crowded and crucial junctions in the city’s suburban rail network. The measures include creating more space on platforms, improving the punctuality of trains, and increasing the frequency of announcements.
The move comes after a series of meetings between CR officials and various passenger associations, who had raised their grievances and suggestions regarding the problems faced by daily travellers at these stations. On January 28, CR’s general manager RK Yadav had personally inspected Dadar and Thane stations, along with other senior officers, and interacted with the passengers and staff.
According to CR sources, some of the steps taken to decongest the stations are:
- Widening the platforms by removing unnecessary structures and encroachments, and creating more exit points.
- Installing additional display boards and loudspeakers to inform the passengers about the arrival and departure of trains, and any changes or delays in the schedule.
- Streamlining the movement of trains by ensuring that they stop at the designated platforms, and avoiding unnecessary halts or diversions.
- Enhancing the coordination and communication between the station masters, train controllers, and motormen, to ensure smooth and timely operations.
- Increasing the frequency and capacity of trains during peak hours, and introducing more fast and semi-fast services.
CR officials claimed that these measures have already shown positive results, as the congestion and chaos at the stations have reduced considerably, and the passengers have expressed their satisfaction and appreciation. They also said that they will continue to monitor the situation and implement more improvements as per the feedback and demand of the commuters.
Both Dadar and Thane stations cater to almost 8-10 lakh commuters every day, making them among the busiest stations in the country. Dadar is a major interchange station for both CR and Western Railway (WR), while Thane is a terminal station for many long-distance and outstation trains. The high volume of passengers and trains often leads to overcrowding, confusion, and inconvenience at these stations, especially during rush hours.
CR’s initiative to decongest these stations is expected to benefit not only the passengers travelling to and from these stations, but also the overall functioning and efficiency of the suburban rail system, which is the lifeline of Mumbai.
