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46 out of 800 firms respond positively to CR proposal on staggered timing

“These 46 companies don’t employ more than 25 people each. So, it won’t create a major impact,” said Swapnil Nila, Chief Public Relations Officer, Central Railway.

Out of the nearly 800 companies approached by Central Railway (CR) with a proposal to stagger official timings in a bid to reduce peak-hour congestion in Mumbai’s suburban train network, only 46 have responded positively.

“These 46 companies don’t employ more than 25 people each. So, it won’t create a major impact,” said Swapnil Nila, Chief Public Relations Officer, Central Railway. He added that unless larger companies, which employ several hundred or thousands of workers, come on board, the initiative is unlikely to meaningfully reduce overcrowding.

“This plan will be effective in reducing peak-hour pressure only if we receive positive responses from larger organisations,” Nila said.

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In order to eliminate congestion and crowding on Mumbai’s suburban transit system, the Railways has been urging companies to offer flexible or delayed reporting hours for employees. The idea was to decongest rush-hour crowds, particularly between 8 am to 11 am and 5 pm to 8 pm, when trains run at maximum occupancy.

“It would be beneficial for everyone… employees can manage their commute better,” Nila said.

The CR had in November 2023 written to companies, urging them to implement this system.

At present, Central Railway operates over 1,800 local train services daily, including AC and non-AC trains that operate during peak hours in full capacity.

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