Mumbai: A controversial proposal by the Central Railway's (CR) Mumbai division to overhaul the suburban railway system by segregating it into sector-wise corridors—akin to metro train operations—has ignited widespread backlash from commuters and railway officials alike.
Originally presented to the Railway Minister last year, the proposal aims to increase suburban train frequency to one every three minutes during peak hours by dividing the existing network into eight operational corridors.
These would include routes such as CSMT-Thane (slow), Thane-Kalyan (slow), Kalyan-Kasara (slow), CSMT-Kalyan (fast), CSMT-Panvel (slow), Belapur-Uran (slow), and Thane-Nerul/Vashi (slow), among others.
Although the presentation claims that this move could transform Mumbai’s local train operations, a fierce debate has erupted over the practicality of the leaked proposal.
Criticism from Railway Officials
"This proposal is unadulterated absurdity. The person who prepared it has no idea about Mumbai and has clearly never used the Mumbai suburban network as a means of transport for work,” said former General Manager of Central Railway, Subodh Jain
According to a senior CR official, who declined to be named, “The plan may look good on paper, but in reality, it’s completely impractical. It would involve mass transhipment of passengers at busy junctions like Thane and Kalyan—already under tremendous pressure.”
"Catching one train itself is a big hassle—now imagine the inconvenience of changing 3 to 4 trains in a single journey and the extra time lost at each station," said a senior Central Railway officer.
"The crowding at transhipment stations will be unimaginable. Passengers who manage to get a seat in the first train will likely lose it in the connecting train, as those already standing will rush to board first."
Details of the Leaked Plan
The elaborate plan (FPJ has a copy) involves running services sector-wise — with the first sector operating only between CSMT and Thane on the slow line, the second sector covering CSMT to Kalyan on the fast line, and the third sector managing operations between Thane and Kalyan on the slow corridor, as well as Kalyan to Kasara and Kalyan to Karjat.
While the presentation made by the Mumbai Division under the leadership of the then Divisional Railway Manager, Rajnish Goyal, claims that sector-wise operations could boost efficiency and frequency, even internal voices remain skeptical.
The concerns are not just logistical but also practical—crowding at transhipment points, loss of seating priority, added travel time, and passenger confusion could worsen the already strained infrastructure.
Sources within CR have hinted that the proposal may have been "deliberately leaked" this week, rekindling both internal debates and public scrutiny.
Commuter Inconvenience at the Forefront
Passengers, who form the backbone of Mumbai’s lifeline, expressed their frustration across social media platforms and in interviews.
Jayant Sathe, a daily commuter from Kalyan, remarked, “Whoever designed this plan clearly doesn’t understand Mumbai’s suburban travel. Changing trains at Thane after boarding from Badlapur? That’s completely unrealistic.”
The proposal has also drawn sharp criticism online. Devesh Tiwari posted on X (formerly Twitter), “This is a stupid plan. It will create horrible bottlenecks at terminal stations. Why can’t CR reduce headway to 120 or 90 seconds during peak hours? It’s simple tech, but there's zero willpower to implement it.”
Another internet User @warrenbhai added posted on X “Changing and crossing FOBs will be a nightmare. A lot of us catch up on sleep during the long travel. That won’t be possible anymore.”
Another commuter, Kumar Saket, called the proposal the “joke of the month,” while Bharat Soni criticized what he termed the “Reel Minister” for making hollow promises, stating:
“What’s new in promising 3-min frequency? WR already does that. CR used to run locals every 5 minutes up to Kalyan. Try giving us 15-min services up to Kasara and Karjat—that would be actual progress.”
@smartkalyan7 posted on X “Instead of this jumlabazi, build a new line between Kalyan and Borivali. Thousands waste time commuting to the western suburbs via Dadar.”
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