Dombivli Passengers Struggle for Space in The Local Trains

Trains fill up from Mumbra, Diva, and Kopar before reaching Dombivli.

The morning rush-hour Dombivli local trains at 7:40 am and 8:40 am are leaving commuters from Dombivli stranded. By the time the trains reach Dombivli, they are already packed with passengers boarding from Mumbra, Diva, and Kopar in the reverse direction, forcing Dombivli’s own residents to struggle to get in.

Over 300 working women who travel daily from Dombivli have submitted a complaint to the Suburban Railway Passengers Association, led by president Lata Argade. They pointed out that the 8:14 am Dombivli-CSMT local is especially important as it reaches Mumbai just before office hours. Many prefer this train because it usually allows a chance to sit or stand comfortably compared to overcrowded long-distance locals from Karjat, Kasara, Badlapur, or Titwala.

However, in recent months, reverse commuters boarding from earlier stations have filled even the three women’s reserved coaches, leaving Dombivli women without seating. Complaints say that these passengers do not offer seats even after long durations.

A similar issue was resolved earlier at Kalyan, where a local was started directly from the car shed to avoid overcrowding. Dombivli commuters demand a similar solution. They warn that if ignored, tensions may rise between local passengers and reverse commuters.