As the work to boost the capacity of the Lokmanya Tilak Terminus at Kurla begins, the Central Railway has decided to terminate several outstation trains at Thane and Panvel for a month. With Dadar and Mumbai CSMT saturated, two more platforms coming up at LTT in a year will boost Mumbai connectivity of express and passenger trains. Outstation trains will not need to wait in queues at Ghatkopar and Vidyavihar once the new platforms are in place. About 30 trains arrive at LTT every day and as many depart from the terminus daily.

“Work has already begun to add more trains from Kurla. Kurla terminus right now has five platforms and one island platform with tracks on either side is being constructed. They will be platforms six and seven. The building of these lines involves shifting of four stabling lines and hence a number of trains terminating and originating at Kurla have been shifted to Panvel and Thane till December 12,” a senior railway official said. For capacity expansion, officials said, Kurla LTT is the preferred site due to ready availability of railway land.