Churchgate (station code: CCG) is the southern terminus on the Western Line of the Mumbai Suburban Railway. It is located in Churchgate in South Mumbai, Maharashtra.
Churchgate (station code: CCG) is the southern terminus on the Western Line of the Mumbai Suburban Railway. It is located in Churchgate in South Mumbai, Maharashtra.
The Fort area was initially an actual fort enclosure, the fort named Fort St. George. It had three main gates. [1] One of these gates led straight to Saint Thomas Cathedral Church, hence it was named "Church Gate". The fortress was eventually demolished in order to create new spaces for the expansion of the city, in 1860s. This gate was demolished in 1860. Later the Churchgate railway station was built in 1870 in close proximity to the position of the demolished gate, and hence got its name. [2]
Churchgate station is a terminus of Western Railway line of Mumbai suburban railway. It is the southernmost station of the city, though up to the 1931, Colaba was the southernmost station. However the rail line was removed beyond Churchgate in the early years of 1930s (for a reclamation scheme), making Churchgate the southernmost station. [3] [4]
The Bombay, Baroda and Central India Railway (present Western Railway) was inaugurated in 1855 with the construction of rail line (BG) between Ankleshwar and Uttaran (a distance of 29 miles). In 1859 this line was further extended along the west coast up to Bombay. By 1867, a track along the foreshore, further than Grant Road station was constructed, up to the station named as "Bombay Backbay" (near Marine Lines) by 1866. On 12 April 1867, the first suburban train was started with one train each way from Virar to Bombay Back Bay. The stations were then named, "Viraur, Neela, Bassein Road, Panjo, Berewla, Pahadee, Andaru, Santa Cruz, Bandora, Mahim, Dadur, Grant Road and Bombay Backbay".
In year 1870, 6 years after BB&CIR commenced operations from Grant Rd. and Ahmedabad, Churchgate was first time mentioned as the station. It began with five trains running each day. The line was further extended towards Colaba in 1873, and goods shed was built there. Churchgate station was situated in the heart of the city, and it is quite certain that the old station wasn't able to cope up with the growing demand. The station was hence rebuilt in 1876. It's structure resembled an English Inn, and was compared by the Bombay Guardian to a Swiss Chalet. [5] The station then had just two platforms. The Up platform catered to passengers arriving from Marine Lines, while the Down platform catered to those travelling towards Marine Lines, or further northward. The station also had a level crossing, situated to its south. It was used by passengers willing to use the Down Platform, and to prevent pedestrians from crossing the tracks. Around two decades later the grand BB&CIR headquarters were built just opposite the station, completed by 1899.
In 1920, the Government of Bombay issued order to the BB&CI railway to hand over the section of rail line between Churchgate and Colaba, to allow unrestricted access for the planned Backbay reclamation. In fact, the line extension to Colaba was permitted only on the condition that the extension would be relinquished, would there be further reclamation projects in the vicinity. Amidst this, were the plans for railway electrification. The plans were sanctioned in 1923, and the scheme covered the section between Churchgate and Borivali. For this, the station had to be remodeled extensively. A foot-over bridge was provided, and the level crossing practically closed for vehicles and pedestrians. In view of the upcoming reclamation, Bombay Central (Mumbai Central), a new station was constructed near Bellasis Bridge and was opened on 18 December 1930. [6] From the midnight of 31 December, Colaba station ceased to be a terminus and the line then terminated at Churchgate from the New Year's day of 1931. [2] The station had to be again remodeled, and changes included the demolishing of the old level crossing, and the footbridge. The station underwent its final reconstruction in mid 1950s, converting the humble station to a seven storied building, offering better amenities like booking offices, sanitation facilities, and above all, bringing all the scattered offices of the railway to a single building. The new (the current) building was finally inaugurated on 3 June 1957.
Presently, this station is home to the Western Railway headquarters. The older Western Railway headquarters is across the road. Today, the station is one of the busiest stations in the city. Trains arrive and depart every minute with clockwork precision. Millions of city dwellers residing in the suburbs alight at this station to get to their offices in the business districts of south Mumbai. The total cost of reconstruction of Churchgate Station was INR 12.8 million approximately, which includes remodelling of the yard, construction of platforms, station premises and offices [7]
The station is the terminus for local trains on Western Railways. The earliest train departs at 4:15 for Virar, and the last train at 1:00 towards Borivali.
Till 2010, the station had platforms which could accommodate 9 and 12 coach trains. But with the introduction of 15-coach trains there was a need to extend the length of the platform. Hence in Dec 2010 work began on extension of the platforms to accommodate the 15-coach trains. [8]
On 28 June 2015 a train derailed after crashing into the end of the platform after not stopping in time. Five people were injured. [9]
The Mumbai Suburban Railway consists of exclusive inner suburban railway lines augmented by commuter rail on main lines serving outlying suburbs to serve the Mumbai Metropolitan Region. Spread over 390 kilometres (240 mi), the suburban railway operates 2,342 train services and carries more than 7.5 million commuters daily.
Mumbai Central is a major railway station on the Western line, situated in Mumbai, Maharashtra in an area known by the same name. It serves as a major stop for both Local and Inter-City/Express trains with separate platforms for them. It is also a terminal for several long-distance trains including the Mumbai Rajdhani Express. It is one of the five major Terminal stations in Mumbai while others being Mumbai CST, Mumbai LTT, Mumbai BDTS and Mumbai Dadar. Trains depart from the station connecting various destinations mostly across states in the northern, western and north-western parts of India. The station was renamed from Bombay Central to Mumbai Central in 1997, following the change of Bombay to Mumbai. In 2018, a resolution was passed to change the station code to MMCT, with implementation ongoing.
Dahisar is the northernmost suburb of Mumbai. Dahisar is the first locality of Mumbai from the north. The suburb is a very cosmopolitan suburb, which has a large Gujarati population, the Marathi are the second most visible group in the suburb. Not to be confused with Dahisar Mori in Navi Mumbai.
Borivali is a suburb which is located in the north-western End of Mumbai and has a large Gujarati population followed by others. Traditionally the tribals and East Indians lived in Borivali.
The Western Railway is one of the 19 zones of Indian Railways and is among the busiest railway networks in India, headquartered at Mumbai, Maharashtra. The major railway routes of Indian Railways which come under Western Railways are: Mumbai Central–Ratlam, Mumbai Central–Ahmedabad and Palanpur–Ahmedabad. The railway system is divided into six operating divisions: Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Rajkot, Bhavnagar, Ratlam, and Mumbai WR. Vadodara railway station, being the junction point for the Ahmedabad–Mumbai route and the Mumbai–Ratlam route towards New Delhi, is the busiest junction station in Western Railways and one of the busiest junctions of Indian Railways too, while Ahmedabad Division earns highest revenue followed by Mumbai Division and Vadodara Division. Surat railway station is one of the busiest railway station in Western Railway in non-junction category where more than 180 trains pass per day.
Dahanu Road is a railway station near the town of Dahanu in Palghar district of Maharashtra. It lies on the Western line of the Mumbai Suburban Railway network. It is the northern limit of the Suburban network, although the track continues north to Gholvad and beyond.
The Bombay, Baroda and Central India Railway was a company incorporated in 1855 to undertake the task of constructing railway lines between Bombay to the erstwhile Baroda State, that became the present-day Baroda (Vadodara) city in western India. BB&CI completed the work in 1864. The first suburban railway in India was started by BB&CI, operating between Virar and Bombay Backbay station, a railway station in Bombay Backbay in April 1867.
Vasai Road Junction is a railway station on the Western line and Vasai Road–Roha line of the Mumbai Suburban Railway network.
The Western Railway Elevated Corridor, also known as the Oval Maidan-Virar elevated corridor, was a proposed rapid transit corridor that would have run along the same alignment as the Western Line of the Mumbai Suburban Railway, and link Oval Maidan with Virar.
The Western line of the Mumbai Suburban Railway is a public transit system serving Mumbai Metropolitan Region, Maharashtra. It consists of 37 stations from Dahanu Road to Churchgate railway station. It is operated by Western Railways (WR). The entire line is at grade.
Goregaon is a railway station on the Western line and Harbour line of the Mumbai Suburban Railway network. It serves the suburb of Goregaon. As a general rule, Virar-bound fast trains skip Goregaon, while Borivali-bound fast trains halt here but being in middle between Andheri and Borivali ; it hosts as an important halt for termination and origination of Churchgate and Mumbai CSMT/ Panvel bound services with access to various areas of Dindoshi, Oshiwara, Film City and outlining areas from Malad and Jogeshwari.
Bandra is a railway station on the Western Line and Harbour Line of the Mumbai Suburban Railway network. It serves the Bandra suburban area and the commercial area of Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC). Bandra Terminus is near to Bandra railway station and serves interstate traffic on the Western Railway.
Kandivali is a railway station on the Western line of the Mumbai Suburban Railway network. It serves the Kandivli neighbourhood of Mumbai, India. All slow local trains temporarily halt between Kandivali and Borivali for a few seconds for signaling purposes, which commuters call an imaginary station named Thambevali.
Borivali is a railway station on the Western line of the Mumbai Suburban Railway network and an outbound station. It serves the suburban of Borivali.
Mira Road is a passenger railway station located at Mira Road, a suburb in the Western Suburbs of Mumbai. It is situated between Borivali and Bhayandar stations on the Western line, of Mumbai Suburban Railway. The route of the station is located between the salt pan towards the western zone of the suburb leading towards Bhayandar.
Bhayandar is a railway station on the Western line of the Mumbai Suburban Railway network.
Virar is a railway station on the Western line of the Mumbai Suburban Railway network. Virar is a terminus station. It is around one and a half hours away by train from Churchgate. Virar is a very crowded area, among other adjacent stations like Vasai Road because it is a major tourist spot. It used to be the only railway station to have services to other stations in Palghar District(in which the city of Virar itself is located), Saphale, Palghar, Dahanu and distant southern cities of Gujarat like Vapi, Surat etc. Since 2013 however, the Western Railway zone Suburban network has been extended up to Dahanu.
The Western Suburbs is the western precinct of the city of Mumbai, India. The Western Suburbs consist of Andheri, Bandra, Bhayander, Borivali, Dahisar, Goregaon, Jogeshwari, Juhu, Kandivali, Khar, Malad, Mira Road, Santacruz and Vile Parle. Geographically, the Western Suburbs lie at the western part of Salsette Island, is a continuous urban sprawl spanning the areas from Bandra to Bhayander, which is separated by the Vasai Creek from Vasai-Virar city and Mithi River from Mumbai city district.
Colaba Railway Station was a railway station on the Bombay, Baroda and Central India Railway (BB&CI) located in Colaba in then South Bombay
Bombay Backbay railway station was a railway station of the erstwhile BB&CI Railway(today's Western Railway), located in Bombay Backbay in Mumbai. It was the starting point of the first regular local train service of the BB&CI Railway. It started on 12 April 1867, between the Station and Viraur (Virar).
