Ministry of Railways Launches Mumbai-Sawantwadi Daily Express Service
Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and Union Commerce & Industry Minister Piyush Goyal, along with Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, flagged off the inaugural service of the new daily express train between Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT), Mumbai and Sawantwadi Road on September 3, 2026. This 510-kilometer service provides direct rail connectivity between Mumbai and the Konkan region, covering Raigad, Ratnagiri, and Sindhudurg districts with 23 stoppages including Dadar, Thane, Panvel, Roha, Ratnagiri, Kankavli, Kudal, and Sawantwadi Road.
The train operates as Train No. 15087 from CSMT at 23:55 hours, arriving at Sawantwadi Road at 14:15 hours the next day, and as Train No. 15088 returning from Sawantwadi Road at 17:20 hours to arrive at CSMT at 06:40 hours the following morning. The service uses modern LHB rakes for passenger comfort and is designed to facilitate overnight journeys from Mumbai and early morning returns.
Railway Minister Vaishnaw highlighted that 350 special trains are being operated for Ganesh Utsav, with arrangements to increase to 370 trains if required. He also detailed major infrastructure projects worth approximately ₹18,000 crore underway in Mumbai, including platform extensions from 12-coach to 15-coach capacity, modern signaling system upgrades, and 238 new AC local train rakes sanctioned with delivery beginning in 2027.
Minister Goyal emphasized the service's significance beyond transportation, noting it will connect lakhs of families, enable safer freight movement for fishermen and local producers, create employment opportunities in Konkan to reduce migration, and improve access to Mumbai's education and healthcare services. The complete electrification of the 741-km Konkan Railway route was noted as enabling more environmentally friendly journeys and increased train speeds.
Deputy CM Shinde described the service as a major gift for Konkan residents, migrant workers, and devotees during Ganesh Utsav. The service is expected to boost tourism in Ratnagiri, Sindhudurg, Kankavli, Kudal, and Sawantwadi while strengthening economic linkages between Mumbai and the region.
Additional projects mentioned include the 100% complete Eastern and Western Dedicated Freight Corridors, the newly announced East-West Dedicated Freight Corridor from Dankuni to Surat connecting Vidarbha, Marathwada and Western Maharashtra, and the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail project featuring an undersea tunnel between BKC and Thane with tunnel boring machines working from Vikhroli and Ghansoli.