Western Railway has launched a new train connecting Mumbai to Goa, making travel easier for residents of the western suburbs. The inaugural 20-coach Bandra Terminus-Madgaon Express was flagged off in August this year.

Although the first journey started from Borivali (on the day of launch), regular services began on September 4. According to reports, the train will depart from Bandra Terminus every Wednesday and Friday, with return services from Madgaon to Bandra scheduled every Tuesday and Thursday.

Traditionally, trains from Mumbai to Goa have operated on the Central Railway (CR). The new WR route, however, comes with a unique challenge. To connect WR with the Konkan route, the train must first travel north from Borivali to Vasai, where it will then reverse direction towards Panvel. This reversal process requires the locomotive (engine car) to be moved from one end of the train to another, leading to a 25-minute halt at Vasai.

Reports suggest that this detour means the train will take about 14 to 16 hours to reach Goa, including the stop at Vasai. Comparatively, CR trains from Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus, Lokmanya Tilak Terminus, and Vasai to Madgaon take only 10-12 hours. The time-consuming engine reversal is one reason why there are few trains from Western Railway stations like Mumbai Central or Bandra Terminus to the Konkan region or southern India.

A potential solution to this issue is constructing a chord line connecting WR and CR at Naigaon-Juchandra. This 5.73-km rail link would allow trains on the WR to avoid the time-consuming detour at Vasai.

According to reports, the double-line rail flyover connector, the Vasai Bypass, will link Naigaon station on WR with Juchandra station on the Vasai-Diva line. The Union Budget allocated INR 50 lakh for the project, while the total cost is INR 176 crore. Once completed, this rail line will significantly reduce travel time and help local commuters and long-distance passengers travelling to the Konkan region.

(With inputs from multiple reports)