Palghar

Western Railway will augment 17 suburban train services to 15-car rakes, including the first-ever introduction of such services on the Virar–Dahanu corridor, an official said on Monday.

Two new 15-car rakes have already been inducted at the Virar Carshed as part of efforts to enhance capacity and ease overcrowding.

“Approximately 17 services will be converted from 12-car to 15-car trains. Of these, eight services will run on the Virar-Dahanu section, where 15-car trains are being introduced for the first time,” the official said.

In addition, nine services on the busy Churchgate–Virar route will also be upgraded to 15-car formations.

The move aims to improve passenger convenience on key suburban stretches, particularly in the northern parts of the network that have seen rising commuter demand.

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Officials said the augmentation is expected to be rolled out later this month, and is likely to boost carrying capacity during peak hours while reducing overcrowding, especially on routes linking Palghar district with Mumbai’s suburban rail network.