Suggestions to reduce Mumbai Suburban train congestion

I.            C.R. ticketing data

Originating
Stations

2012 - 2013

2015 - 2016

Tickets

Passengers

Tickets

Passengers

CSTM

1,27,97,231

6,94,46,741

1,16,66,367

5,16,37,092

Dadar

77,61,774

2,35,79,109

76,51,080

2,27,58,466

Kurla

1,70,53,332

4,71,33,815

2,07,81,408

5,63,17,964

Ghatkopar

1,32,70,771

5,99,24,055

1,61,71,735

6,51,23,962

Thane

1,96,73,642

8,23,36,532

2,31,48,649

8,44,01,880

Diva

1,15,28,818

7,91,86,737

1,30,70,163

8,66,93,943

Kalyan

1,19,59,911

5,83,20,700

1,38,27,380

6,68,91,910

II.         Northwards shift of population and commercial activities by a minimum 10-15 km

Mumbai city has had negative population growth, but its suburbs and the northern Mumbai metropolitan regions have experienced an unprecedented population explosion (may be due to unaffordable housing in Mumbai):

Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) area2001 census population2011 census population
Mumbai island city33,26,00031,45,000
Mumbai suburbs85,58,00093,32,000
Mira - Bhayander5,20,0008,14,655
Virar-Vasai6,93,35012,21,233
Thane12,63,00018,19,000
Kalyan-Dombivali11,93,51212,47,347
Badlapur97,9481,74,226
Navi Mumbai7,04,00011,20,547

During 2011 census, Thane comprised of 6 municipal corporations (Mira-Bhayandar, Thane, Kalyan-Dombivali, Ulhasnagar, Bhiwandi-Nizampur, Navi Mumbai) and municipal councils (Ambernath and Kulgaon Badlapur). Thane was India’s most populous district, with the highest growth rate of 35.9% during 2001-11.

This demographic shift has led to the relocation of commercial activities from their traditional bases of Nariman Point, Masjid Bunder, Churchgate and Fort in south Mumbai – to further north in Lower Parel in Central Mumbai; Kurla (BKC), Ghatkopar and Vikhroli in eastern suburbs, Bandra (BKC), Andheri, Malad in the western suburbs; and Vashi and Belapur in Navi Mumbai. Popularity of Andheri - Ghatkopar metro and Central Railway data also confirms that trend. But majoirty of the services are still CST-centric, as shown below.

III.     Suggestion for south bound train services time table:

  • In the morning rush hours of 6-10 am, majority of the services terminate at CST. So even if a few more south-bound services are terminated at Dadar, Kurla and Ghatkopar (due to rush at Lower Parel, BKC & Metro-rail respectively), this faster turn-around will easily reduce congestion at northerly stations and it will provide relief.

  • There are 6 services from CST to Kurla in the morning peak hours (which is totally opposite to flow of rush).

South-bound CR suburban main line services existing timetable

Note: Services include (slow+fast). So 4+2 means 4 slow and 2 fast services in that time slot

From

To

6-7am

7-8am

8-9am

9-10am

10-11am

11am-5pm

5-6pm

6-7pm

7-8pm

8-9pm

9pm-6am

Kurla

CST

1

2

2

3

4

2

1

3

Ghatkopar

CST

2

Thane

CST

3

5

4+2

7+2

5+1

18

4

5

2

1

9+1

Dombivali

CST

2

1+1

1

1

8

1

3

3

2

3

Kalyan

CST

4

5+2

1+4

3+2

4

18+4

3+2

1+3

3

2+1

5+1

Ambernath

CST

2

0+3

0+3

0+1

1+1

9+4

0+2

0+1

1+1

1+2

7

Badlapur

CST

2+1

1+1

0+1

3

3+6

0+1

0+2

1

1+2

4

Karjat

CST

0+1

0+2

0+1

0+1

0+5

0+1

0+1

0+1

0+1

5+4

Khapoli

CST

0+1

0+1

0+1

0+1

1

Titwala

CST

2

1+1

1

0+1

1+1

10+2

0+2

0+1

1

3

5

Asangaon

CST

1

1+1

0+1

2

1+3

0+1

1

1+1

0+1

2

Kasara

CST

0+2

0+1

0+1

0+1

1+5

0+1

0+1

2+1

Thane

Dadar

1

2

2

1

1

Dombivali

Dadar

1

1

1

Kalyan

Dadar

0+1

1

1+1

4+1

0+1

1

3

2

Ambernath

Dadar

1

1

Titwala

Dadar

1

Dombivali

Kurla

2

Kalyan

Kurla

1

2

Badlapur

Kurla

1

Titwala

Kurla

1

Kalyan

Vidyavihar

1

Kalyan

Thane

4

1

1

Badlapur

Thane

1

1

Karjat

Thane

0+1

1

2+1

Titwala

Thane

1

2

Asangaon

Thane

1

Kasara

Thane

0+1

1

Khapoli

Karjat

1

1

3

1

3

During south-bound rush hours, there are 92 services terminating at CST and only 7 at all other stations


IV. Suggestion for north bound train services timetable:
  • During north-bound DOWN services rush hour of 5-9 pm, only 1 service starts from Kurla (a good fifteen services start from Dadar). There are 7 services from Kurla southward to CST from 5-9 pm, which can be converted into north-bound.

North-bound CR suburban main line services existing timetable

Note: Services include (slow+fast). So 4+2 means 4 slow and 2 fast services in that time slot

From

To

6-7am

7-8am

8-9am

9-10am

10-11am

11am-5pm

5-6pm

6-7pm

7-8pm

8-9pm

9pm-6am

CST

Kurla

3

3

5

1

2

2

1

4

Ghatkopar

1

1

Thane

2

4

6+2

5+2

6

19

7

5+1

3+1

2+1

9

Dombivali

2

2

1

2

2

8

1+1

2

2

2

1

Kalyan

3+1

3+2

4+2

1

2+2

23+3

2+1

2+3

4+1

2+1

5+2

Ambernath

2

0+1

0+1

1+2

0+2

9+3

1

0+3

0+1

2

6

Badlapur

0+1

0+2

0+1

0+3

0+3

2+4

0+2

0+1

2+2

4+1

Karjat

0+2

0+1

0+2

0+1

0+4

0+1

0+2

5+2

Khapoli

0+2

0+1

0+1

2

Titwala

2

1+3

0+2

10+1

0+2

1+1

0+2

2

7

Asangaon

1

1

0+1

2+3

0+2

0+1

0+1

2

Kasara

0+1

0+1

0+1

0+1

0+6

0+1

0+1

0+1

3+1

Dadar

Thane

1

3

Dombivali

2

1

Kalyan

1

1

1+1

3+1

1+2

2

1+1

1

5

Ambernath

0+1

0+1

Kurla

Kalyan

1

1

Ambernath

1

Vidyavihar

Kalyan

4

2

Badlapur

1

Titwala

2

Thane

Kalyan

1

Ambernath

1

1

Badlapur

2

1

1

Karjat

1

1

1

2

Asangaon

1

1

Kasara

1

Kalyan

Karjat

1

Asangaon

1

1

Karjat

Khapoli

1

3

1

2

During north-bound rush hours, there are 83 services starting from CST and only 21 from all other stations

Thanks and Regards,
Gaurang Damani
[email protected]