The Virar-Dahanu Road rail line quadrupling project is 47 per cent complete and is expected to be completed by March 2028. This is how suburban train services are intended to be improved beyond Virar.
The project involves the construction of two additional railway lines parallel to the existing main lines between Virar and Dahanu Road. According Bombay According to Railway Vikas Corporation (MRVC) data, it includes around 63 km of new track, 16 major bridges, 64 minor bridges, 29-foot flyover bridges and associated signaling, electrical and traction infrastructure.
While the CST-Virar corridor has segregated fast and slow suburban lines with intervals of three to four minutes in peak hours, the Virar-Dahanu Road section currently operates on a double line shared by suburban, long-distance mail/express and freight trains. This mixed traffic arrangement has limited the expansion of suburban services despite increasing commuter volumes across Palghar district.
Sanctioned for Rs 3,578 crore under Phase 3 of the Mumbai Urban Transport Project and executed by MRVC, the quadrupling will expand the section from two lanes to four.
How suburban services beyond Virar currently operate
Western Railway operates around 42 suburban services daily between Virar and Dahanu Road, approximately 21 in each direction, which translates to approximately one train per hour.
By contrast, the Churchgate-Virar section runs several hundred suburban services daily on dedicated fast and slow corridors. Beyond Virar, suburban trains are routinely regulated to allow the passage of long-distance services bound for Gujarat, Rajasthan and northern India.
Railway operational data shows that more than 40 long-distance express and postal trains use the Virar-Dahanu stretch every day, along with scheduled freight movements. In the absence of dedicated suburban routes, express train delays often impact local services.
Why the Virar-Dahanu stretch is a capacity bottleneck
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In a two-line mixed traffic corridor, suburban slots are limited because long-distance trains require higher speeds and uninterrupted journeys. This limits the number of local services that can be scheduled without affecting overall operations.
Despite these limitations, the volume of travelers north of Virar remains high. Western Railway estimates indicate that Palghar handles over 23,000 daily suburban commuters, Boisar around 22,000, Saphale over 20,000 and Dahanu Road nearly 18,000. Together, the stations along this belt account for more than one lakh daily suburban trips, excluding smaller stations like Vaitarna, Umroli and Kelve Road.
Rapid population growth in Palghar district has further increased pressure on the suburban railway, the main mode of transport for Mumbai-bound commuters.
What changes once there are four tracks available?
Quadrupling will allow operational segregation, two lines for suburban services and two for long-distance and freight trains, allowing planners to increase suburban frequencies without disrupting express operations.
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Western Railway planning documents suggest the section could eventually support more than 200 additional suburban services, subject to improvements to rolling stock and signalling. In the initial phase, peak hour intervals are expected to be reduced from 20 to 30 minutes to around 10 to 12 minutes.
“About 80 additional trains could be introduced once the Virar-Dahanu quadrupling is completed. With the existing 42 services, the total could rise to around 122 suburban services, with scope for further increases based on demand,” said Vineet Abhishek, director, public relations, Western Railway.
Infrastructure is also being designed to accommodate 15-car commuter trains, which can carry approximately 25 percent more passengers than 12-car trains, increasing capacity without commensurate increases in train movements.
For commuters on Palghar, Boisar, Saphale and Dahanu Road, the project is expected to reduce waiting times, improve punctuality and alleviate overcrowding through dedicated suburban roads. Once completed, suburban services could increase to at least 122 trains, with a possible expansion to around 200 services in the future, depending on commuter demand.