Local trains have been Mumbai’s lifeline for years. For daily commuters, they are one of the quickest ways to cover long distances. Recently, Western Railway announced a major change. New local trains will be added from February 1, but many Mumbaikars are unhappy about it. Scroll down to find out why!
Western Railways To Add New Local Trains
From February 1, 2026, Western Railways is all set to begin four new local trains on the Virar–Churchgate route, with two running in each direction. As per the Hindustan Times report, by mid-February, four to six more services may be added. And the good part is that together, these trains will allow 30,000 to 40,000 more passengers to travel daily on the 60-km Churchgate–Virar stretch.
The sad part is that passengers are disappointed by this announcement. They feel the railways have ignored their concerns again. According to them, the focus stays on the Virar–Churchgate route, while commuters travelling beyond Virar still struggle with overcrowded trains and very few service options.
Around 1.25 lakh passengers travel daily on the 60-km Virar–Dahanu stretch. Western Railway currently runs over 60 trains here, including local and shuttle services, connecting stations on this route to the Virar–Churchgate line.
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Trains On Bandra And Bhayandar Route
Western Railway will introduce four new 12-car non-AC local trains. According to Hindustan Times, two of these services will run between Bhayandar and Bandra, and the other two will operate between Bhayandar and Churchgate.
As per Mid Day, moreover, due to rising cases of passenger misbehaviour and assaults on ticket-checking staff, Western Railway is installing a full CCTV network at nearly 200 locations. The Mumbai Central Division is rolling out CCTV coverage worth ₹25.81 crore. Authorities will install cameras at 29 Passenger Reservation System centres and 31 UTS-cum-PRS stations worth ₹7.12 crore.
What are your thoughts on these new local trains in Western Railways? Tell us in the comments below!
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Cover Image Courtesy: Flickr/ Adam Cohn