Mumbai Ganpati Visarjan: Mumbai Metro and the Indian Railways are bracing for major footfall across the city on Friday, the day of Ganpati visarjan. Accordingly, measures have been taken to ensure an easy commute for the devotees.
The Mumbai Metro has announced to run Line 3, or the Aqua Line, throughout the night. The announcement is aimed at easing travel for devotees as immersion processions will continue till early Saturday morning.
Mumbai has a significant number of Ganpati pandals who takeout procession for visarjan at the city's prominent immersion points on Anant Chaturdashi. These processions see thousands of people on the streets, demanding significant traffic and commuting arrangements.
Without metro services, late-night and early-morning travel becomes difficult as commuters have to depend on private taxis and cabs to return home. This large crowd would get convenient public transport with extended Metro service.
22 special CR local trains
Mumbai's suburban network has also come forward to move a large Ganpati visarjan crowd on Anant Chaturdashi. The Central Railways has announced 22 special night suburban trains.
MAIN LINE
Special services to run between Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) and Kalyan/Thane on the intervening nights of September 23-24, September 24-25 and September 25-26.
Down Main Line
- CSMT-Kalyan Special: Departure from CSMT at 1:40 am to reach Kalyan at 3:10 am
- CSMT-Thane Special: Departure from CSMT at 2:30 am to reach Thane at 3:30 am
- CSMT-Kalyan Special: Departure from CSMT at 3:25 am to reach Kalyan at 4:55 am
Up Main Line
- Kalyan-CSMT Special: Departure from Kalyan at 12:05 am to reach CSMT at 2:00 am
- Thane-CSMT Special: Departure from Thane at 1 am to reach CSMT at 2 am
- Thane-CSMT Special: Departure from Thane at 2 am to reach CSMT at 3 am
HARBOUR LINE
On the Harbour Line between CSMT and Panvel, four additional services will run during the night of September 25-26.
Down Harbour Line
- CSMT-Panvel Special: 1:30 am to 2:50 am
- CSMT-Panvel Special: 2:45 am to 4:05 am
Up Harbour Line
- Panvel-CSMT Special: 1 am to 2:20 am
- Panvel-CSMT Special: 1:45 am to 3:05 am
12 overnight services by Western Railways
Along with the Central Railway, the Western Railway has also announced additional local trains on the intervening night of September 25-26.
The six pairs will operate between Churchgate and Virar. All the special local trains will stop at all stations on their respective routes across Mumbai and suburban areas.
