Mumbai: First train arrives at Ram Mandir station

The 37th station -- Ram Mandir -- on WR was inaugurated by Minister Suresh Prabhu this evening. Its first train -- Churchgate to Borivli -- arrived at 6 pm, another bound for Churchgate pulled up at 6.10 pm

Ram Mandir Station

The 37th station -- Ram Mandir -- on Western Railway (WR) will be inaugurated by Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu this evening. Its first train, running from Churchgate to towards Borivli, arrived at 6 pm, while another bound for Churchgate pulled up at 6.10 pm.

The station has four platforms, two each for slow trains and the yet-to-be-ready Harbour line section. Senior WR officials said the two slow line platforms will accommodate 476 services every day. WR operates 1,323 train services in a day on both fast and slow lines.

“The trains will make a halt of 15-30 seconds, depending on the time of the day. During peak hours, the halt will be longer,” said a WR official.

Ravindra Bhakar, chief public relations officer, WR, said, “Semi-fast and fast trains on Churchgate-Andheri and Churchgate-Borivali will not halt there.”

The station’s naming has been embroiled in controversy. The saffron brigade pushed for its naming after a popular temple in the locality, breaking away from the tradition of christening stations after the areas they were in.

Residents of Oshiwara and Lokhandwala also claim that the frequency of buses to and from the station is very poor, and those that ply don’t offer a direct drop.

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