The Central Railway has announced that five additional pairs of suburban trains will commence operations on the Belapur/Nerul-Uran section from Monday, alongwith the launch of two new stations, Targhar and Gavan, on the Uran line. The railway mentioned that the changes will take the total services on the corridor to 50 daily from the current 40, and passengers should plan their journeys accordingly.
As per the official update by the Central Railway, Targhar is situated near the upcoming Navi Mumbai International Airport and is likely to add convenience for commuters. Gavan is being positioned as another step to enhance suburban rail access in the area. The railway also mentioned that the expanded network and increased frequency are aimed at making travel faster, easier and more convenient for passengers, especially during the peak hours.
Two new stations go live on the Uran line
As per a report by Mid Day, the Targhar station located close to the upcoming Navi Mumbai International Airport will open services for local trains on the Port Line of the Belapur-Nerul-Uran route on Monday. The report adds that the start of services at Targhar coincides with the operationalisation of Gavan station and the rollout of the additional local train pairs on the corridor. The Central Railway’s Chief Public Relations Officer Dr Swapnil Nila, has confirmed to Mid Day that the extra services will ease commuter movement and boost last-minute connectivity in the rapidly developing urban belt. Targhar is also expected to be the nearest suburban station to the upcoming airport, whereas Gavan is set to improve access for residents and expand suburban rail coverage in the region.
Extended timings and more services during peak hours
The Central Railway stated that the revised timings will extend operating hours. From Uran, the first train will leave at 5:35 am and the last one at 10:05 pm. From Belapur, services will operate from 5:45 am to 10:15 pm. From Nerul, the trains will provide services from 6:05 am to 9:30 pm.
The enhanced services are intended to improve peak hour frequency, lessen the overcrowding and support the increasing demand amid ongoing development linked to the upcoming airport in the region.