6.22pm and 7.05pm Churchgate-Virar locals to skip Borivali halt

“This is a significant operational change for Borivali, where heavy boarding and alighting during peak hours often results in prolonged stoppages and cascading delays in subsequent services,” a WR official said

Mumbai: From September 1, two evening rush-hour Churchgate-Virar local trains will not halt at Borivali, as part of the Western Railways (WR) efforts to decongest peak hour services on the Virar route.

Photo for representation (Hindustan Times)

Both the 6.22pm Churchgate-Virar AC local and the 7.05pm Churchgate-Virar local will skip the halt at Borivali on trial basis, but will halt at Dahisar, effectively shifting some passenger movement away from Borivali during the evening peak hour, WR officials said.

“This is a significant operational change for Borivali, where heavy boarding and alighting during peak hours often results in prolonged stoppages and cascading delays in subsequent services,” a WR official said, requesting anonymity.

For commuters who usually travel to Borivali via the 6.22pm AC local, an alternative AC service will leave Churchgate at 6.28pm and halt at Borivali, according to the WR’s revised timetable.

The total number of services in the revised timetable is the same as earlier, at 1,414; while the WR has introduced six new services, it has also withdrawn six low-demand, off-peak hour services, allowing redeployment of train paths and resources.

As per the revised timetable, weekday AC local services will increase from 145 to 147, as two existing non-AC services – the 5.28pm Churchgate-Borivali local and 6.24pm Borivali-Churchgate local – will be converted into AC locals. Locals running on the Dadar-Virar and Virar-Dahanu Road stretches will also be integrated, with the Dadar–Dahanu Road local leaving Dadar at 5.22pm and reaching Dahanu Road at 7.30pm.

“We are also strengthening rail connectivity from Virar during morning peak hours. The 8.23am Virar-Dadar service will be extended till Churchgate, reaching the station at 9.48am,” said WR official.

WR has also introduced additional services during non-peak hours, particularly on the Borivali-Bhayandar-Virar section. These include a 7.46am Bhayandar-Virar service, a 10.14pm Borivali-Bhayandar service, a 10.51pm Borivali-Virar service, an 11.51pm Virar-Borivali service and 12.28am Borivali-Bhayandar service.

Besides, the 10.24am Churchgate-Borivali AC slow local will now terminate at Goregaon, and the return service will also originate at Goregaon.