Central Railway Walls Off Kalwa Car Shed Spurring Commuter Protest Threats

Central Railway has recently blocked pedestrian access to the Kalwa Car Shed in Thane by constructing a wall and locking the main entrance gates. The permanent closure has prevented thousands of daily commuters from Kalwa and Mumbra from boarding empty local trains parked inside the yard, ending a shortcut that passengers relied on for nearly two decades to avoid severely overcrowded peak-hour trains.

For nearly twenty years, a vast number of commuters from Kalwa and Mumbra routinely boarded empty local trains parked inside the Kalwa Car Shed. This practice became a vital alternative for passengers due to severe peak-hour overcrowding on the regular suburban lines. Morning trains arriving from Kalyan are routinely packed to maximum capacity before they even reach Thane, making it virtually impossible for passengers waiting at subsequent station platforms to climb aboard.

Before constructing the wall, railway authorities had made prior attempts to curb this unauthorized access. These measures included deploying security personnel to the site and replacing regular local trains with air-conditioned rakes. However, the definitive physical sealing of the route has now triggered widespread public resentment and outrage among the local commuting population.

Passenger advocacy groups, including the Mumbai Rail Pravasi Sangh and the Kalwa Parsik Pravasi Sanghatana, have vehemently protested the move. The organizations have labeled the railway administration's decision as "insensitive and unjust."

Siddhesh Desai, a prominent representative of the commuter association, emphasized that passengers holding valid tickets are being penalized due to the lack of adequate transit capacity. The associations argue that blocking the route without providing alternative arrangements heavily disrupts the daily lives of workers, students, and local businesses.

Warning of potential large-scale 'Rail Roko' (train blockade) agitations, the commuter bodies have urged senior railway officials to immediately introduce dedicated local services starting from Kalwa station to resolve the ongoing crisis.