Mumbai, March 19 The decision by the railway ministry to convert a special train into a regular Dadar-Gorakhpur express has upset activists and commuters, who say it has pushed the starting point of another train to Maharashtra's Konkan region to Diva, on the outskirts of Mumbai.
Central Railway has said that running the train to Konkan from Mumbai (Dadar-Ratnagiri) disrupts the operations of the city's suburban services.
It all began with BJP MP and actor Ravi Kishan posting a tweet thanking Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and Prime Minister Narendra Modi for approving the regularisation of "special train numbers 01027/01028 as a permanent service, to be operated as the 11047/11048 Dadar-Gorakhpur Express".
In the tweet on Wednesday, the Lok Sabha member from Gorakhpur also said that the move would benefit lakhs of passengers and described the decision as an example of the government's commitment to public welfare.
However, the announcement drew criticism from commuters and activists in the Konkan region, who said the train to Gorakhpur has been given the same slot as the Dadar-Ratnagiri Passenger, which currently starts from Diva near Thane.
For nearly 25 years, the train to Ratnagiri operated from Dadar, gradually becoming popular as "Dadar-Ratnagiri Passenger". While its origin point was made Diva in 2020 for operational reasons, passengers had been demanding that it be brought back to Dadar in central Mumbai.
Activists said the train’s starting point has been permanently shifted to Diva. A train from Diva makes it less convenient, particularly for Mumbai-based travellers who depend on direct access from Dadar, they said.
Former railway minister Suresh Prabhu has also weighed in. Responding to a tweet by journalist Rajendra B Aklekar, who originally took up the issue, he urged the authorities to review the decision.
“Please take immediate corrective action, which is causing huge inconvenience to passengers traveling to Konkan, most of whom are working class persons whose roots are in Konkan,” he said in a post on X, tagging Vaishnaw.
Passenger groups said the change could adversely affect short-distance travellers who rely on affordable and frequent connectivity between Mumbai and coastal districts.
According to Central Railway, the Dadar-Ratnagiri Passenger affects the smooth functioning of Mumbai's suburban trains.
“When the Konkan-bound train enters or leaves Diva station to access the main line, 6-8 Mumbai suburban trains near Diva or Vidyavihar are detained for 6-10 minutes, affecting punctuality, which is critical for suburban operations,” the railway said in a statement issued late Wednesday night.
It added that there are no such operational constraints for trains heading towards Nagpur or Pune, and the proposed Dadar-Gorakhpur service will not interfere with the punctuality of the city's local trains.
“Operational constraints are being imposed on train services within Maharashtra, citing the ‘Zero-Based Timetable’ exercise of 2020. I think there is a need to review it,” said Aklekar.