Central line (Mumbai Suburban Railway)

Central Line
Overview
System	Mumbai Suburban Railway
Locale	Mumbai, Maharashtra Raigad, Maharashtra Thane, Maharashtra
Termini	Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (south) Kasara, Khopoli,Lonavala,Roha
Stations	62
Daily ridership	2.9 million[1]
Operation
Opened	16 April 1853
Owner	Indian Railway
Operator(s)	Central Railway (CR)
Character	At Grade
Depot(s)	Kurla, Kalva, Matunga, Sanpada[2]
Technical
Track gauge	1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in) Broad gauge
Electrification	1500 V DC 25,000 V AC (December 2012)

Central Line

Mumbai Chhatrapati Shivaji TerminusConnects to Line 3 (Mumbai Metro) (planned) Masjid Sandhurst Road (Harbour Line) Sandhurst Road (Central Line) Byculla Chinchpokli Currey Road Western Line (Mumbai Suburban Railway) to Churchgate ParelWalkway to Elphinstone Road DadarWalkway between Dadar (Central) and Dadar (Western) Connects to Mumbai Monorail (planned) Matunga Harbour Line to Andheri - Goregaon (planned) Sion KurlaConnects to Lokmanya Tilak Terminus Vidyavihar To Andheri - Versovaon Line 1 (Mumbai Metro) Ghatkopar Vikhroli Kanjurmarg Bhandup Nahur Mulund Thane Thane Creek Kalwa Mumbra Ulhas River Dativali Nilaje Taloja Navade Road Gavhan Kalamboli Panvel Somatane Rasayani Apta Jite Hamrapur Pen Kasu Nagothane Nidi Roha To Konkan Railway Diva Junction Kopar Bhiwandi Kharbao Kaman Road Juchandra Vasai Road To Ahmedabad-Mumbai Main Line Dombivli Thakurli Kalyan Vithalwadi Ulhasnagar Ambernath Badlapur Vangani Shelu NeralConnects to Matheran Bhivpuri Road Karjat Palasdari To Mumbai Dadar–Solapur section Kelavli Dolavli Lowjee Khopoli Waldhuni River Shahad Ulhas River Ambivali Titwala Kalu River Khadavli Bhatsa River Vasind Asangaon Atgaon Thansit Khardi Umbermali Kasara To Bhusawal–Kalyan section

The Central Line of the Mumbai Suburban Railway is a public transit system serving Mumbai, Maharashtra, India. It consists of 24 stations from Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (C.S.T.) to Kalyan Junction. The entire line is at grade. It has section of quadruple track starting from Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus and ends atKasara,Roha,Lonavala and Khopoli junctions in Maharashtra

The Central Line in Mumbai consists of three major corridors, which bifurcate as they run into suburban satellite towns. Two corridors (one local and other through) on Central Railway run from CST to Kalyan Junction (55 km),^[3] from where it bifurcates into two lines — one running up to Kasara (67 km) in the north-east and the other running up to Khopoli (61 km) in the south-east. These two corridors constitute the 'Main' Line. The Central main line shares one station with the Western line at Dadar. They consist of a fleet of DC as well as dual-powered EMUs. The major car sheds on this line are at Kurla and Kalva. There are fast and slow locals here for suburban service. Slow locals halt at every station, while fast locals halts vary between Byculla, Dadar, Kurla, Ghatkopar, Vikhroli, Bhandup, Mulund, Thane, Dombivli and Kalyan Junction. All services plying beyond this junction run slow. Trains usually start from and terminate at important stations.

Routes

The Central Line consists of the following routes:

• CST – Kasara
• CST – Khopoli
• Thane – Vashi/Nerul
• Vasai Road – Diva - Panvel - Roha
• Nerul/CBD Belapur – Uran(under construction)

Stations

(Names in bold indicate that the station is a fast train stop as well as important terminal.) Proposed Railway Stations on Central Lines are: 1.Between Thane and Mulund Station - Kopri. 2. Between Kalwa and Mumbra - Parsik Nagar 3. Between Ambernath and Badlapur- Chikhloli

Main Line

Inside Mumbai CST station

Central Line (Main)
#	Distance from CST (km)	Station Name			Station Code	Connections
		English	Marathi	Hindi
1	0	Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus	छत्रपती शिवाजी टर्मिनस	छत्रपती शिवाजी टर्मिनस	ST	Harbour Line
2	1	Masjid	मशिद	मस्जिद		Harbour Line
3	2	Sandhurst Road	सँडहर्स्ट रोड	सँडहर्स्ट रोड		Harbour Line
4	4	Byculla	भायखळा	भायखला		None
5	5	Chinchpokli	चिंचपोकळी	चिंचपोकली		None
6	6.5	Currey Road	करी रोड	करी रोड		None
7	8	Parel	परळ	परेल		Elphinstone Road^† (Western Line)
8	9	Dadar	दादर	दादर	D	Western Line
9	11	Matunga	माटुंगा	माटुंगा		None
10	13	Sion	शीव	सायन		None
11	15	Kurla	कुर्ला	कुर्ला	C	Harbour Line
12	18	Vidyavihar	विद्याविहार	विद्याविहार		None
13	21	Ghatkopar	घाटकोपर	घाटकोपर	G	Andheri / Versova (Mumbai Metro One)
14	23	Vikhroli	विक्रोळी	विक्रोली		None
15	25	Kanjurmarg	कांजुर मार्ग	कांजुर मार्ग		None
16	26	Bhandup	भांडुप	भांडुप		None
17	28	Nahur	नाहुर	नाहुर		None
18	32	Mulund	मुलुंड	मुलुंड		None
19	34	Thane	ठाणे	थाने	T	Trans-Harbour Line and To Panvel (Harbour Line via Trans-Harbour Line)
20	36	Kalwa	कळवा	कलवा		None
21	40	Mumbra	मुंब्रा	मुंब्रा		None
22	43	Diva	दिवा	दिवा		To Vasai Road/Panvel (Vasai Road – Diva – Panvel – Somatne (सोमटने रेलवे स्टेशन) Route)
23	47	Kopar	कोपर	कोपर		None
24	48	Dombivli	डोंबिवली	डोंबिवली	DI	None
25	50	Thakurli	ठाकुर्ली	ठाकुर्ली		None
26	54	Kalyan	कल्याण	कल्याण	K	To Kasara/Khopoli (Central Line)

†A footbridge links Parel to Elphinstone Road on the Western Line.

Main Line Branches

The main line of the Mumbai Suburban Railways runs from CST to Kalyan. It then splits into two corridors one going to Khopoli and the other to Kasara.

South-east Section

South-east Section
#	Station Name			Station Code	Connections
	English	Marathi	Hindi
1	Kalyan^†	कल्याण	कल्याण	K	Central Line (Main)
2	Vithalwadi	विठ्ठलवाडी	विठ्ठलवाडी		None
3	Ulhasnagar	उल्हासनगर	उल्हासनगर		None
4	Ambarnath	अंबरनाथ	अंबरनाथ	A	None
5	Badlapur	बदलापूर	बदलापूर	BL	None
6	Vangani	वांगणी	वांगणी		None
7	Shelu	शेलू	शेलू		None
8	Neral	नेरळ	नेरल		None
9	Bhivpuri Road	भिवपुरी रोड	भिवपुरी रोड		None
10	Karjat	कर्जत	कर्जत	S	None
11	Palasdari	पळसदरी	पलसदरी		None
12	Kelavli	केळवली	केलवली		None
13	Dolavli	डोलवली	डोलवली		None
14	Lowjee	लवजी	लवजी		None
15	Khopoli	खोपोली	खोपोली	KP	None
† – Branch Line starts at Kalyan

North-east Section

North-east Section
#	Station Name			Station Code	Connections
	English	Marathi	Hindi
1	Kalyan^†	कल्याण	कल्याण	K	Central Line (Main)
2	Shahad	शहाड	शहाड		None
3	Ambivli	आंबिवली	आंबिवली		None
4	Titwala	टिटवाळा	टिटवाला	TL	None
5	Khadavli	खडवली	खडवली		None
6	Vasind	वासिंद	वासिंद		None
7	Asangaon	आसनगाव	आसनगाँव	AN	None
8	Atgaon	आटगाव	आटगाँव		None
9	Thansit	थानसिट	ठानसिट		None
10	Khardi	खर्डी	खर्डी		None
11	Umbermali	उंबरमाली	उंबरमाली		None
12	Kasara	कसारा	कसारा	N	None
† – Branch Line starts at Kalyan

Vasai Road-Diva-Panvel-Roha Line

The Vasai Road-Diva-Panvel-Roha Line connects the Western Line station of Vasai Road with the Harbour Line station of Panvel. It intersects the main line of the Central Line at Diva. MEMUs operate between Dahanu Road and Panvel/Roha via a branch line from Vasai Road.

Vasai Road-Diva-Panvel-Roha Line
#	Station Name			Station Code	Connections
	English	Marathi	Hindi
1	Vasai Road	वसई रोड	वसई रोड	BS	Western Line
2	Juchandra	जुचंद्र	जुचंद्र		None
3	Kaman Road	कामण रोड	कामन रोड		None
4	Kharbao	खारबाव	खारबाव		None
5	Bhiwandi	भिवंडी	भिवंडी		None
6	Kopar	कोपर	कोपर		Central Line (Main)
7	Diva	दिवा	दिवा		Central Line (Main)
8	Dativali	दातिवली	दातिवली		None
9	Nilaje	निळजे	निलजे		None
10	Taloja	तळोजा	तलोजा		None
11	Navade Road	नावडे रोड	नावडे रोड		None
12	Kalamboli	कळंबोली	कलंबोली		None
13	Panvel	पनवेल	पनवेल	PL	Harbour Line
14	Somatane	सोमटणे	सोमटने		None
15	Rasayani	रसायनी	रसायनी		None
16	Apta	आपटा	आपटा		None
17	Jite	जिते	जीते		None
18	Hamrapur	हमरापूर	हमरापुर		None
19	Pen	पेण	पेन		None
20	Kasu	कासु	कासू		None
21	Nagothane	नागोठणे	नागोठने		None
22	Nidi	निडि	निडी		None
23	Roha	रोहे	रोहा	RH	Konkan Railway

Nerul/CBD Belapur – Uran Line

The Nerul/CBD Belapur – Uran Rail track of 27 km is currently under construction.^[4] The line is being constructed by CIDCO at a cost of ₹14.12 billion.^[5] It is expected to be operational by 2015.^[6]

The proposed railway stations are as follows:^[7]

Central Line (Nerul/CBD Belapur – Uran)
#	Station Name			Station Code	Connections
	English	Marathi	Hindi
1	Nerul/CBD Belapur	नेरूळ/सी.बी.डी. बेलापूर	नेरूल/सी.बी.डी. बेलापूर	NU/BR	To Thane (Central Line)^† Harbour Line
2	Seawoods-Darave^†	सीवूड्स-दारावे	सीवूड्स-दारावे		Harbour Line
3	Sagar Sangam	सागर संगम	सागर संगम		None
4	Targhar	तारघर	तारघर		None
5	Bamandongri	बामणडोंगरी	बामनडोंगरी		None
6	Kharkopar	खारकोपर	खारकोपर		None
7	Gavhan	गव्हाण	गव्हान		None
8	Ranjanpada	रांजणपाडा	रांजनपाडा		None
9	Nhava-Sheva	न्हावा-शेवा	न्हावा-शेवा		None
10	Dronagiri	द्रोणागिरी	द्रोनागिरी		None
11	Uran	उरण	उरन		None
†- when travelling from/to Nerul

Electrification

CR converted the Central Line from the previously used 1500V DC electrification to 25,000V AC on 5 May 2013 from Kalyan to Khopoli and Kalyan to Kasara.^[8] Electrification on the Lokmanya Tilak Terminus-Thane-Kalyan section was completed on 12 January 2014.^[9] The entire route between CST to Thane was converted from 1500V DC electrification to 25,000V AC on 8th June 2015; thus completing the entire Central Line search.^[10][11]

The conversion was expected to reduce maintenance-related failures The AC electrification system needs lighter overhead wires than that of DC, which has thicker and heavier contact wires and pantographs that are prone to fast wear and tear. The railway is estimated to save around ₹120 crore annually from reduced transmission loss and regenerative braking, and conserve 33% energy as a result of the conversion.^[10]

Services

Since November 2011, all services on the Central Line have been running on 12 cars. In preparation for introducing 15 car services, CR extended platforms at Byculla, Kurla, Ghatkopar, Bhandup, Mulund and Dombivli stations, from the current 270 metres to 330 metres,^[12] in order to accommodate 15 coach trains. The total cost of the work was estimated at ₹37.5 million (US$560,000).^[13] The first 15-car service, on the Central Line, departed from Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus to Kalyan at 7:33 pm on 16 October 2012.^[14]

As of March 2014, 75 rakes operate 825 services on the Central Line daily, of which 809 are 12-car and 16 are 15-car services.^[10]

See also

• Mumbai Suburban Railway
• List of Mumbai Suburban Railway stations
• Central Railway

References

1. "Minor drop in deaths on tracks of Western Railways". The Times of India. 2 April 2012.
2. TNN Aug 2, 2012, 03.34AM IST (2012-08-02). "Sanpada, Kurla sheds to clear rake service backlog". The Times of India. Retrieved 2013-03-12.
3. "Bonanza for Mumbai rail commuters". Business Standard. 2012-03-15. Retrieved 2013-03-12.
4. "Nerul-Belapur-Uran rail line on track, likely to be completed in 4 years". Indian Express. 30 October 2011. Retrieved 2012-01-10.
5. "Cidco begins work on Nerul-Uran rail link". Hindustan Times. 31 October 2011. Retrieved 2012-01-10.
6. PTI. "Business Line : Industry & Economy / Logistics : Nerul-Uran railway link to be ready by 2015: Cidco". The Hindu. Retrieved 2012-01-10.
7. "Cidco". Cidcoindia.com. Retrieved 2012-01-10.
8. From May 5, faster Central Railway with AC power - Times Of India. Articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com (2013-04-30). Retrieved on 2013-07-16.
9. Soon, faster trains on Kalyan-LTT route - The Times of India. Articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com (2014-01-13). Retrieved on 2014-06-11.
10. Central Railway plans DC/AC switch in May - The Times of India. Timesofindia.indiatimes.com (2014-03-25). Retrieved on 2014-06-11.
11. "DC to AC conversion on Mumbai's Central Railways rail route completed". The Economic Times. Mumbai: PTI. 8 June 2015. Retrieved 2 January 2016.
12. "CR still in two minds over 15car trains". Mumbai Mirror. 2012-01-23. Retrieved 2013-03-12.
13. "15-car rakes: Central Railway invites bids for platform extension". The Times of India. 15 April 2012.
14. TNN Oct 16, 2012, 01.16AM IST (2012-10-16). "15-car Central Railway trains from today". The Times of India. Retrieved 2013-03-12.