Jogeshwari Terminus Update: New Island Platform Ready, Opening Expected By Summer

The new railway terminus at Jogeshwari, located between Ram Mandir and Jogeshwari stations on the eastern side, is expected to become operational within the next six months, according to a Hindustan Times (HT) report. The facility is being built close to a former cement warehouse that was previously used by the railways.

Western Railway (WR) officials have stated that the new terminus, which has been under construction for nearly two years at a cost of approximately Rs 69 crore, will help reduce congestion at existing terminuses in Dadar, Bandra, and Mumbai Central by increasing train services.

Senior WR officials have urged contractors to speed up construction, with a target of 70-75 per cent completion by the end of March.

Several key construction milestones have already been achieved, including the completion of a labour shed. Work is currently underway on the cover shed, service building, station building, and platform. Track-laying has also begun.

"The work on Jogeshwari Terminus is progressing well, and the island platforms are nearly ready. We expect most civil works to be completed by summer. One can already see significant progress on the platforms and other supporting infrastructure," said a senior WR official as per the HT report.

An island platform, which allows trains to arrive on either side, is a space-saving design. The island platform at Jogeshwari terminus is 600 metres long and 12 metres wide, designed to accommodate 24-coach trains. The terminus will also have two berthing lines and a Power Run Down line to facilitate train shunting. Additionally, a facility for watering train coaches will be available.

While the project has been welcomed, concerns have been raised about train scheduling. Subhash Gupta, president of the Railway Passenger Association, praised the new terminus but highlighted potential crowding issues.

"It is a welcome step to have another terminus in Mumbai, which will benefit passengers from both the western and eastern suburbs. However, if two trains arrive and depart around the same time, it could lead to overcrowding, especially for those carrying luggage," Gupta said, in the same report.

With construction progressing steadily, WR officials remain optimistic that the terminus will soon help improve Mumbai's railway connectivity.