Ganeshotsav is celebrated across India with great enthusiasm. This ten-day festival, which began on September 7, will culminate in Ganesh Bappa's immersion. Among the states, Maharashtra stands out for its vibrant celebrations. In response to the large crowds, the state government has made special arrangements for the occasion. Notably, Western Railway has announced it will run special local trains at midnight on September 17/18 to manage the increased passenger flow during Ganpati Visarjan.
Western Railway will operate four pairs of additional local trains between Mumbai's Churchgate and Virar. The first special train is scheduled to depart from Churchgate on September 18 at 1:15 am, with the last train leaving at 3:20 am. This final train is expected to arrive at Virar station at 4:58 am. Additionally, there will be a second special train departing from Churchgate at 1:55 pm and a third at 2:25 pm.
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From Virar station, the first special local train will leave for Churchgate at 12:15 pm on September 18. This will be followed by departures at 12:45 pm and 1:40 pm, with the last train scheduled for 3:00 am, arriving at Churchgate at 4:40 am.
In addition to these services, Western Railway will run special local trains between Mumbai and various other destinations during the Ganpati festival. These routes include:
Mumbai Central – ThokurMumbai Central – Sawantwadi RoadBandra Terminus – KudalAhmedabad – KudalVishwamitri – KudalAhmedabad – Mangaluru
For detailed information about train timings and stops, passengers can visit www.enquiry.indianrail.gov.in. Meanwhile, the Central Railway announced that it will operate two additional Ganeshotsav special trains between Panvel and Madgaon. In an official statement, the Central Railway indicated that these special trains were introduced in response to passenger demand to help alleviate overcrowding.
The Madgaon-Panvel-Madgaon Specials will consist of two services. The 01428 special train will leave Madgaon at 9:30 am on September 15, 2024, and arrive in Panvel at 10:15 pm the same day. Conversely, the 01427 special train will depart from Panvel on September 15, 2024, at 11:45 pm, reaching Madgaon at 11:00 am the following day.
Stops for these trains will include Pen, Roha, Mangaon, Veer, Khed, Chiplun, Savarda, Aravali Road, Sangameshwar Road, Ratnagiri, Adawali, Rajapur Road, Vaibhavwadi Road, Nandgaon Road, Kankavali, Sindhudurg, Kudal, Jarap, Sawantwadi Road, Thivim, and Karmali.
The train composition will feature one AC-2 tier coach, three AC-3 tier coaches, two AC-3 tier economy coaches, eight sleeper class coaches, five general second class coaches (including one guard brake van), and one generator car.