How the new Badlapur-Karjat lines will ease congestion in Mumbai’s busiest rail corridor

The rise of satellite towns such as Badlapur, Ambernath and Ulhasnagar has also led to a surge in commuter numbers. With the existing pair of tracks already operating at near-maximum capacity during peak hours, the Central Railway has had limited room to add new suburban services, particularly beyond Ambernath.

“The Badlapur–Karjat 3rd and 4th line will not only address future passenger demand in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, but will also strengthen connectivity to southern India. By fully segregating suburban operations from long-distance and freight traffic, we will be able to significantly improve punctuality and scheduling across the entire corridor,” said Dr Swapnil Nila, Chief Public Relations Officer, Central Railway.

What the new project involves

The Rs 1,300-plus crore project will lay two additional tracks parallel to the existing ones on the 32-km stretch between Badlapur and Karjat. The engineering scope includes over 100 minor bridges, several major bridges, modifications at intermediate stations and signalling upgrades required to integrate all four lines.

The new tracks will complement the ongoing Kalyan–Badlapur quadrupling work being executed under MUTP-3A by the Mumbai Railway Vikas Corporation (MRVC). Once both sections are completed, the entire Kalyan–Karjat corridor will effectively have four tracks, restoring capacity on a route that has remained unchanged for decades despite rising traffic.

“This stretch is a critical freight route for coal, cement, salt, containers and POL (Petroleum, Oil, and Lubricants) products, and the added capacity will support nearly 18 million tonnes of additional freight every year. This increase will reduce logistics costs, cut oil imports by almost 3 crore litres, and lower CO₂ emissions by about 16 crore kilograms. The environmental impact alone is equivalent to planting 64 lakh trees,” said Nila.

How the new lines will improve operations

The biggest change will come from segregating suburban and long-distance traffic. Central Railway plans to allocate one pair of tracks primarily for suburban locals while the other pair would handle express/mail and freight trains. This separation allows each category of trains to run at their optimal speeds without interfering with each other.

For suburban commuters, this means the possibility of introducing additional services between Kalyan, Badlapur and Karjat, especially during peak hours, where demand routinely exceeds availability. Faster turnaround and reduced waiting times at stations are also expected once the bottleneck is removed.

Long-distance trains, especially those towards Pune, Chennai and southern India, will benefit from smoother sections running without getting stuck behind locals. Freight movement too will gain momentum, as heavy goods trains will no longer slow down suburban services.

“People travelling from CSMT to Karjat currently go via Kalyan, which is the most crowded stretch on the suburban network. Once the Panvel–Karjat route is completed by March 2026, passengers will be able to switch at Panvel, saving nearly 15 minutes and easing load on the Kalyan route,” Nila said, adding, “With increased capacity, we can run more suburban, express and freight services without the delays caused by mixed traffic.”

Expected commuter benefits

Once operational, the project is expected to reduce delays significantly on the Main Line. Sectional speed restrictions caused by track sharing are likely to ease, improving punctuality across the board. Suburban passengers on the Badlapur–Karjat stretch, many of whom travel more than two hours one way, could see shorter and more reliable journeys.

The corridor may also see the introduction of more semi-fast services that currently struggle to overtake slower trains. Reduced congestion is expected to ease crowding inside trains, particularly during morning and evening peaks.

“This will reduce overcrowding, ease congestion and improve punctuality for lakhs of daily commuters. Long-distance trains towards Pune, Chennai and beyond will also move faster, and freight loading will increase as the bottleneck reduces,” said Nila

Challenges ahead

While approval has been granted, construction will involve multiple engineering challenges, including bridge work, station modifications and realignment in certain sections. Land acquisition requirements, if any, will also influence the pace of work.

According to Central Railway officials, the full advantage of the new Badlapur–Karjat lines will be realised once ongoing capacity upgrades on adjacent sections, including the Kalyan–Badlapur quadrupling project, advance alongside this work.

Key part of Mumbai’s long-term rail strategy

The addition of the third and fourth lines is part of a broader plan to expand multi-tracking across Mumbai’s suburban rail network. As the city continues to push outward, particularly along the Central Railway’s main corridor, increasing track capacity is essential to support both daily commuters and national long-distance connectivity.

Once complete, the Badlapur–Karjat upgrade is expected to become a pivotal piece in decongesting Mumbai’s suburban network, unlocking room for future services.