19 February,2026 07:28 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
In January 2026 alone, Central Railway transported 146.29 million passengers overall. Representational pic
Central Railway has recorded an impressive passenger growth in financial year (FY) 2025-26 (up to January), carrying a total of 1,373.39 million passengers - marking a steady 1.86 per cent increase over the 1,348.33 million passengers transported during the same period last year.
The zone's suburban network, which forms the lifeline of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, continued to dominate ridership. Suburban trains carried 1,201.93 million passengers in FY 2025-26, up from 1,187.92 million in the corresponding period of the previous year.
Non-suburban services, including Mail/Express, Passenger, and other long-distance trains, also saw healthy growth, ferrying 171.46 million passengers this year compared to 160.41 million last year.
In January 2026 alone, Central Railway transported 146.29 million passengers overall. Of these:
Suburban segment accounted for 129.08 million passengers, including 127.12 million on the Mumbai Suburban network and 1.96 million on the Pune Suburban lines.
Non-suburban trains carried 17.20 million passengers.
Key factors driving the suburban surge include the introduction of additional services on the Nerul/Belapur-Uran corridor and the commissioning of two new stations - Targhar and Gavan - which have boosted patronage on the route.
The recent launch of air-conditioned (AC) local services on the Harbour line has also received an overwhelming response. Within just 16 days of operation, these AC locals carried more than 6 lakh passengers, reflecting strong commuter demand for improved comfort and efficiency.
Central Railway currently operates 1,820 suburban services daily, including 94 AC local trains, to meet the growing travel needs of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region.
"Central Railway remains committed to providing safe, comfortable, economical, reliable, and efficient transportation to all its passengers," the railway zone stated, adding that it continues to strengthen services to match rising commuter expectations.
Western Railway has achieved a new milestone in non-fare revenue generation by earning a record Rs 1.72 crore from movie shoots during the financial year 2025-26 (until February 15). This marks a significant 25 per cent increase over the previous best performance of around Rs 1.64 crore recorded in financial year 2022-23, positioning Western Railway as one of the top zones in the country for revenue from this innovative segment, an official press release stated.
The zone has actively promoted its stations, trains, platforms, yards, and other premises as shooting locations for movies, television serials, web series, and advertisement films, the release added.
Permissions have been granted for shoots on Mail/Express trains, suburban local trains, and various railway properties, offering filmmakers authentic and dynamic backdrops.
To facilitate the film industry, Western Railway has streamlined the permission process through a single-window system managed by its public relations department. Production houses now submit a single application, and all the necessary clearances are coordinated internally, ensuring approvals are issued in a time-bound manner, the release added. At the same time, the railway has maintained strict priority on passenger safety, operational efficiency, and commuter convenience during shoots.
A notable first this year was the permission granted for filming inside India's modern and premium Vande Bharat train, providing the film industry access to world-class railway infrastructure and underscoring Western Railway's progressive approach.
Among the notable projects shot on Western Railway premises in recent times are films such as O Romeo, Fateh, Tera Yaar Hoon Main, Sikandar.
