Western Railway is set to extend Dadar station’s Platform 4 by around 70-80 metres towards Churchgate to accommodate 15-coach fast local trains, as part of the ongoing fifth and sixth-line expansion between Virar and Mumbai Central.
The upgrade is aimed at increasing suburban rail capacity while improving train operations at one of Mumbai’s busiest railway stations. A 15-coach local requires roughly 330 metres of platform length, compared with about 270 metres for a 12-coach train, and can carry around 4,380 passengers.
At present, 15-coach fast locals are operated from Platform 5 at Dadar. Once Platform 4 is extended, these longer trains can be accommodated there, allowing railway authorities greater flexibility in managing suburban services.
Changes Linked to Sixth Line Work
The platform modification is also connected to the sixth-line project being extended from Dadar towards Parel. As part of the reconfiguration, Platform 5 will be shortened by approximately 70-80 metres because its existing length is more than required and is affecting the alignment of the new track.
The project also involves changes near the existing foot overbridge (FOB). One of its pillars falls within the construction zone and is being removed to facilitate the new alignment. A replacement FOB has already been commissioned and connected with the existing Central Railway FOB, allowing passenger movement to continue during the construction phase.
The Dadar work forms part of Western Railway’s wider preparations for introducing more 15-coach local services. Platforms at Vile Parle, Santacruz, Khar Road and Bandra are being extended to support the operation of 15-coach slow locals up to Bandra. Work at Khar Road has already been completed, while upgrades at the other stations are expected to be finished soon.
The changes at Dadar are expected to provide an additional operational advantage. Once 15-coach fast locals are shifted to Platform 4, Platform 5 could be utilised more efficiently for mail and express trains.
The ongoing infrastructure work is therefore addressing two major requirements of Mumbai’s suburban railway network, increasing passenger capacity through longer trains and adding track infrastructure to improve train movement and reduce operational constraints.
Source: The Free Press Journal
