Commuters fret as new Thane-Diva rail lines fail to address travel woes

The inauguration of two new railway lines between Thane and Diva stations in Mumbai has failed to ease travel for suburban rail commuters. Despite the potential to run up to 100 more local trains, only 36 new services have been introduced. Commuters are demanding that the railway authorities make better use of the new infrastructure. The delays in completing the project led to escalating costs, with ₹620 crore ($82.9 million) spent when it was ready in 2022. Railway officials have said there are no plans to add more suburban trains at present.

In February 2022, prime minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the fifth and sixth railway lines between Thane and Diva stations on the Central Railway (CR) network. These two lines were laid for seamless movement of long-distance trains from Lokmanya Tilak Terminus till Kalyan, thereby sparing the other four lines for local trains.

Thane, India - September,13, 2023: Diva Railway crossing ,in Thane, in Mumbai, India, on, Wednesday, September, 13, 2023. ( Praful Gangurde / HT Photo )

Though CR had said there was scope to run up to 100 more local trains, it announced the operation of only 36 new services.

Eighteen months later, rail passenger associations said the new infrastructure had not eased the travel for suburban rail commuters because not a single local train had been introduced since then.

“We had been told that the two new rail lines on the Thane-Diva route would open up the possibility of running an additional 100 local trains on the older tracks. However, CR authorities operate long-distance trains, holiday specials, and freight trains on the third, fourth, fifth and sixth lines instead of completely switching over to tracks five and six,” Madhu Kotian, president, Mumbai Rail Pravasi Sangh, said and added that CR ignored the plight of common Mumbaikars travelling from farther regions in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region.

The associations also said they had been repeatedly demanding that CR make the utmost utilisation of the two new rail lines.

Nandkumar Deshmukh, president of Federation of Suburban Passenger Association, said during peak hours, it is painful to see commuters from Diva, Kalwa and Mumbra struggle to board local trains.

“Untoward incidents keep occurring time and again and railway authorities do not bother despite protests. Now that the fifth and sixth lines are operational, CR can very well run more Thane-Karjat/Kasara trains. But that’s not happening. We tried to explain all this to CR officials earlier this month,” Deshmukh, a resident of Thane, said.

Work on the fifth and sixth lines began in 2008 under Mumbai Urban Transport Project-2 by Mumbai Rail Vikas Corporation (MRVC). The delays resulted in the project cost escalating from ₹133 crore to ₹440 crore within a decade. Finally, ₹620 crore had been spent when it was ready and opened in 2022.

An official from MRVC said when they planned the two lines, they were confident after examining the railway timetable that another 100 services could be operated on the older tracks. “CR officials had told us that the maximum which could be added was 86 services. We have no idea why only 36 trains have been introduced. Afterall, the train operations are with CR, and we have little say in that matter.”

At present, CR is operating 1,810 services with 136 rakes. Sources said CR has around 150 rakes and the balance either undergoes maintenance or is kept as spares. Prior to opening the Thane-Diva fifth and sixth lines, it used to operate 1,774 services with 134 rakes.

“We have no plan to add suburban trains for now,” clarified Shivraj Manaspure, chief public relations officer, CR.

Commuters have alleged that CR is focusing more on the long-distance and goods trains than on local services.

Siddesh Desai, a resident of Diva and member of Mumbai Rail Pravasi Sangh, said a letter would soon be sent to the ministry of railways about the misuse of fifth and sixth lines. “Since services are inadequate, people especially in Diva and Kalwa are forced to board crowded trains and even use level-crossing gates. CR claims to have reduced accidents at Diva by constructing escalators on the foot overbridge but until the road overbridge is complete, people will still use the level-crossing gate.”

CR officials agreed that they are accommodating long-distance and freight trains on suburban lines. “We have diverted more than 20 long-distance trains on the two new lines. We are also running holiday and festival special trains on these tracks. The city’s demand for cement, coal, perishable and non-perishable goods are catered by these two new rail lines. We are taking steps to curb train delays at Diva owing to various reasons,” a senior CR official, who refused to be named, said.

The official further said they have started escalators on the foot overbridge at Diva and shut the level-crossing gate. Due to this, according to CR officials, there has just been a single trespass since August 1.

“The road overbridge at the 146-year-old Diva station is incomplete as approach roads are yet to be constructed. Earlier, on an average, the level-crossing gate at Diva used to open at least 39 times that led to train delays of 5 to 7 minutes. Now this has become negligible. The railway has also installed girders above rail tracks at Diva,” the official said.