After two years, CR restores halt of long-distance trains at their far-off stations

The Central Railway in Mumbai has announced that 20 long-distance trains will resume their halts at stations in Karjat, Kasara, Panvel, Lonavala, and Kalyan, benefiting around 25,000 people daily. The halt of these trains had been stopped during the Covid-19 pandemic but has now been restored after persistent demands from rail passenger associations. The halt will be provided for a period of six months on an experimental basis.

Mumbai: At least 20 long-distance trains will resume their halts at stations of Karjat, Kasara, Panvel, Lonavala and Kalyan, the Central Railway (CR) has announced. This move is expected to benefit around 25,000 people every day who travel daily from far off areas in Mumbai and its metropolitan region.

HT Image

After several meetings and reminders by rail passenger associations, the CR officials have decided to provide experimental halt of the long-distance trains for a period of six months. These long-distance trains will benefit people who will now have an option to travel on these trains apart from the locals.

The halt of the long-distance trains at the mentioned stations had been stopped during the Covid-19 pandemic. However, even after two years of resumption of the train services, these halts had not been restored.

The rail passenger associations had been persistently demanding the restoration of the halt of these long-distance trains at these stations.

“For the last two years, we have been meeting the CR officials to restore these halts as was the case before the pandemic. We have held five to six meetings over the last two years. We are happy that the trains have finally given halt at the stations,” said Jitendra Vishe, president, Kalyan Kasara Rail Passengers Association.

On Sunday, the members of rail passenger associations met people in their areas and also spread the message about the same in WhatsApp groups.

“It took them two years to finally understand the issues we have been facing. The trains are again crowded, and these trains are vital for our daily travel,” said Mahesh Patil, a resident of Karjat.

“These trains will benefit 25,000 people daily. Many people travel in these long-distance trains to alight at Karjat and Kasara and return in local trains that are less crowded in the opposite direction. Residents are happy with this decision,” said Sanjay Mestry, a resident of Badlapur and a member of the rail passenger association.

Box:

Halt and proceed

Here’s a list of stations and the long-distance trains, which will halt there

Karjat Station

11007 Mumbai-Pune Deccan Express

11008 Pune-Mumbai Deccan Express

17614 Hazur Sahib Nanded-Panvel express

Lonavala Station

11027 Dadar-Pandharpur Express

11028 Pandharpur-Dadar Express

11041 Dadar-Sainagar Shirdi Express

11042 Sainagar Shirdi -Dadar Express

17317 Hubballi-Dadar Express

17318 Dadar-Hubballi Express

17412 Kolhapur-Mumbai Mahalaxmi Express

18519 Visakhapatnam-LTT Express

18520 LTT-Visakhapatnam Express

Panvel Station

12223 LTT-Ernakulam Duronto Express

12224 Ernakulam-LTT Duronto Express

Kasara station

18029/30 LTT Shalimar express

17617/18 CSMT Nanded Tapovan express

12071/72 CSMT Jalna Janshatabdi express

13202 LTT Patna express

12109/10 CSMT Manmad Panchvati express

17611/12 CSMT Nanded Rajyarani express