Churchgate-Dahanu local to ply only in the afternoon

The new Churchgate-Dahanu Road route for local trains is in place now. However, only one train will ply from Churchgate to Dahanu and that too in the afternoon. Associations that look into the welfare of passengers are planning to take the matter up with rail authorities.

The proposal to extend local train services till Dahanu was first made in 2002. u00a0File pic

The time-table for the Dahanu Road local train has come out this week. Western Railway (WR) will be running the first local train for Dahanu before the end of the month. Also, railway authorities and motormen were at loggerheads over running the train between Virar and Dahanu.

It has been decided that local motormen will be trained in the new route and will run the train themselves. There are seven railway stations between Virar and Dahanu Road stretched across 63 km.

Shailesh Goel, ex-NRUCC (National Railway Users Consultative Committee) member opposed the time table and said that the matter will be taken up with railway authorities. "Allotting only a single service direct from Churchgate to Dahanu Road is not useful and that too in the afternoon.

This service will be used till Virar only for most passengers. More than 80 to 90 per cent of passengers come from Dahanu Road to Borivali and Andheri every day," said Goel, adding that the railways should allot at least one rake which keeps running between Virar and Dahanu Road continuously.

The passengers who commute till Dahanu Road regularly said that they should have more direct trains to Dahanu. Mohan Singh, who commutes between Andheri and Dahanu Road three times a week said that just one train, that too in the afternoon, serves no purpose.

"I have to go till Virar and then take the shuttle service between Virar and Dahanu even now," he said. The proposal to extend local train services till Dahanu was first made in 2002. However, when MiD DAY contacted Sharat Chandrayan, Chief PRO, WR, he said, "It has not yet been decided. We are still in the process of taking a decision."

63 km
The distance between Virar and Dahanu