Virar set for major upgrade to run 15-car locals on Dahanu corridor

Western Railway will upgrade Virar station for 15-car trains, easing congestion on the busy Virar-Dahanu route, with new platforms and increased services.

MUMBAI: Western Railway (WR) is set to begin a critical three-month upgrade at Virar that will pave the way for operating 15-car trains on the 60-km Virar–Dahanu corridor, a move expected to significantly ease the load on one of Mumbai’s most crowded suburban stretches.

Virar set for major upgrade to run 15-car locals on Dahanu corridor

Starting Friday, WR and the Mumbai Rail Vikas Corporation (MRVC) will begin multiple civil works at Virar, including the construction of a new home platform, 5A, and the widening of existing platforms as part of what officials describe as one of the largest suburban expansion projects planned for the station.

Platform 5A, to be built on the north-west end of Virar station, will be around 5–6 metres wide and will allow 15-car trains to operate in both directions, Virar–Dahanu and Churchgate–Virar. Alongside this, platforms 3A and 4A, earlier just 6.8 metres wide, are being widened by approximately 3.5 metres. Most of the structural work on these two platforms is already complete.

“Given the heavy rush at Virar, these upgrades will offer substantial relief. The wider platforms will also connect directly to the new station deck that will come up soon, improving passenger distribution and overall station flow,” a railway official said.

To support the longer trains, WR has sought five additional rakes from ICF, Chennai. These will be used to convert existing 12-car services into 15-car local trains, increasing carrying capacity by roughly 25% on the Virar–Dahanu route and reducing peak-hour crowding.

Officials explained that the new platform will help streamline operations, while the widened platforms will shorten boarding and alighting times. The future station deck connection is expected to further disperse crowds that currently spill over onto the platforms.

At present, WR runs 38 services between Virar and Dahanu, 19 in each direction. Once the upgrades are completed and the new timetable is introduced in March 2026, WR plans to add 12 more services (six up and six down), offering a substantial boost in frequency.

The expansion is not limited to Virar. Platform works are also under way at Umroli and a few other stations on the corridor. With passenger numbers growing steadily on the extended suburban network, railway planners say these upgrades are essential to improve train-handling capacity and prepare the line for future demand.