More than 1.13 lakh passengers have booked Ganpati special trains from Mumbai to Konkan, generating Rs 7.77 crore in railway revenue. Central Railway will operate 200 reserved and 62 unreserved trips, while Western Railway has planned 54 reserved trips. Extra coaches and crowd-management measures are also being arranged.

Thousands of passengers are opting for special railway services from Mumbai to Konkan amid the annual Ganesh festival travel rush | AI Generated Representational Image

Mumbai, August 28, 2026: With the Ganesh festival drawing thousands of Mumbaikars to their native places in Konkan, 1,13,428 passengers have so far booked tickets on special trains from Mumbai, generating Rs 7.77 crore in revenue for the Railways. The strong response has led to several trains filling up within minutes of bookings opening, with many passengers now relying on waiting-list tickets.

Additional Services For Festival Rush

The Railways has planned additional services to handle the annual festival rush, when a large number of passengers travel from Mumbai and its suburbs to Konkan.

Central Railway will operate 200 special reserved trips and 62 unreserved trips between August 27 and September 26. As of now, its reserved services have carried bookings for 1,10,523 passengers and generated Rs 6.23 crore in revenue.

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Western Railway, meanwhile, will operate 54 reserved special trips between September 7 and September 26, with 2,905 passengers having booked tickets so far, generating Rs 1.54 crore.

Extra Coaches To Meet Demand

The heavy demand has prompted the Railways to make additional arrangements. Officials said extra coaches would be attached to some trains depending on passenger demand, which could also improve the chances of waiting-list tickets getting confirmed. Passengers who are unable to secure reserved tickets will have the option of travelling on unreserved special services.

A senior Central Railway official said unreserved special trains have been planned specifically to provide an alternative to passengers who fail to get confirmed reservations.

The Railways is also preparing for heavy crowds at stations and along the Konkan route, with additional arrangements for security, cleanliness and ticket checking during the peak period.

Konkan Travel Sees Annual Surge

The Ganesh festival is one of Maharashtra's biggest annual travel periods, with a substantial number of Konkan residents working in Mumbai returning to their hometowns. Regular trains often see reservations filling up rapidly during the period, making special services crucial for managing the additional demand.

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The Railways has also opened temporary reservation counters at select locations to facilitate bookings. Railway Protection Force personnel and other railway staff are expected to be deployed in larger numbers at busy stations to manage crowds and ensure orderly boarding.

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