Passenger Body Proposes Adding Coaches to 10 Konkan Railway Trains to Ease Congestion

A study conducted by a passenger welfare body has proposed a low-cost solution to address the heavy congestion on the Konkan Railway corridor in Maharashtra. Released on June 27, 2026, the study suggests running 10 existing trains with the maximum number of coaches they are already permitted to haul.

According to details reported by Rajendra B. Aklekar, implementing this change would add approximately 45 coaches and 3,691 seats daily to the network. The passenger welfare body highlighted that this capacity boost is equivalent to introducing nearly two new full-length trains in each direction. Crucially, this expansion can be achieved without the need for laying any new tracks or creating new train paths.

The study's findings reveal that all 10 of the analyzed trains are currently operating below their maximum permissible coach capacity. This gap leaves a substantial amount of unused carrying potential on the Konkan Railway corridor, which remains one of the most saturated rail routes in India.

The proposal focuses on maximizing the utility of the existing infrastructure. Because the corridor is highly saturated, adding entirely new trains is difficult due to the lack of available train paths and track capacity. By simply adding coaches to the trains already scheduled and running, the railway can accommodate thousands of additional passengers daily.

According to the passenger welfare body, this adjustment represents a highly efficient and low-cost method to ease commuter congestion. It bypasses the need for significant capital expenditure or long-term construction projects, offering a practical way to optimize passenger transport on the Konkan Railway corridor immediately.