In a major relief to thousands of Ganesh devotees traveling to Konkan by train, two additional railway reservation counters were inaugurated at Thane railway station on Friday. This long-pending demand, first raised four years ago by commuter associations, was fulfilled following the intervention of newly elected MP Naresh Mhaske, who inaugurated the counters himself.
Every year, well before the Ganesh festival begins, a massive rush begins among Konkan residents settled in Mumbai, Thane, and surrounding suburbs to return to their hometowns. Given the comfort and convenience of train travel, Konkan Railway sees a huge spike in demand. However, limited reservation counters at Thane station had long caused delays and inconvenience, forcing devotees to stand in long queues for hours.
To address this, commuter groups had repeatedly requested the railways to set up two additional counters specifically for Konkan-bound passengers during the Ganesh season. With MP Mhaske taking up the matter with Central Railway, the counters were finally sanctioned and made operational from June 20.
The new counters — Window Numbers 7 and 8 — will function at the main reservation center opposite the main post office near Thane railway station, from June 20 to July 5, 2025, catering specifically to those booking for Konkan trains during the festive season.