Mumbai Railway Station: Crowds Thin After Double-Discharge Facility Introduced

Mumbai's Dadar station on the Central Railway (CR) is witnessing a significant reduction in crowd congestion thanks to the newly introduced double-discharge facility for fast trains. The combination of this new infrastructure, the removal of obstructive stalls, and the strategic division of crowds has begun to show positive results.

The double-discharge platforms 10 and 11 are now fully operational, providing passengers with additional boarding and alighting options that help alleviate congestion. Rajneesh Goyal, the Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) of CR's Mumbai division, had previously committed to not only widening the platforms but also implementing a master plan to create more space for passengers. This plan is now coming to fruition.

As part of the decongestion efforts, the slow line platform has already been widened. Now, the fast train platforms 10 and 11 at Dadar have been transformed into double-discharge platforms. Commuters are already experiencing the benefits.

"The platform was fenced from one side and was under-used. Now, after removing the barricades and obstructions, the platform has become usable. We can now get into a Dadar local easily," Avinash Burunde, a regular commuter told the Mid-day.

Rakesh Ranjan, another commuter, praised the removal of stalls on platform 10, stating, "The removal of all stalls on platform 10 is an important step in the right direction. The island platform was always crowded. We would like to congratulate whoever is responsible."

A divisional official noted that the railways are currently adding the finishing touches to the platform, including installing most of the cover over the newly opened side. "This is the best way we could tweak and redesign within the given limitations," the official added.

Benefits Of The Changes

Platforms 10 and 11 serve both fast local trains and mail/express trains, which previously led to significant crowding on platform 10. Passengers with luggage waiting for mail/express trains would share the platform with local train commuters, exacerbating congestion.

By removing the stalls and opening another access point from Platform 11, the crowd has been effectively dispersed, improving the overall commuting experience.