Timeline of Mumbai Suburban Stations Opening - Central Railway

by Kedar Karambelkar

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Introduction

While perusing contemporary sources, I noticed inaccuracies in the reported dates of railway stations' opening/closing, within modern publications. Motivated by the need to rectify these discrepancies, I created this timeline, documenting the evolution of Central Railway's stations on the Mumbai suburban section.

This timeline covers stations on the Main line, North-East main, South-East main, Khopoli branch line, Harbour line, Trans-harbour line, Port line, and the once-existent Mahim branch line and Central Salsette Tramway line. Despite lots of efforts, Dolavli and Lowjee on the Khopoli branch along with the station reportedly under construction between Kurla and Ghatkopar in February 1893 remain absent due to limited available information.

If a station's name has changed over time, the timeline uses the name that was in use during the specific event with subsequent and current designations thoughtfully provided in brackets. However if the change is merely a variation in English spelling, the timeline employs the current name.

Acknowledgments

  • I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to Anirudh DSP for bringing to my attention the October 11, 1853 timetable and for uncovering the opening date of Kalwa station and opening year of Ambivli station.
  • I extend my sincere thanks to Ramakant Sir for his suggestions on the first version of the timeline.

1853 - 1899

SL No. Date Details
1 16th April 1853 Opening of Bori Bunder to Thane main line.
2 18th April 1853 Bori Bunder, Byculla, Sion (Kurla), Bhandup, Thane on the main line and Mahim G.I.P. on the Mahim branch opened for regular traffic.
3 August-October 1853 Mahim Road (Dadar) station opened.
4 1st May 1854 The Main line extended to Kalyan; Kalyan station opened.
5 1854 Parsik Station opened.
6 1855 Sion station renamed as Kurla.
7 1st October 1855 The North-East main line from Kalyan to Wasind opened for traffic with stations at Titwala and Wasind.
8 12th May 1856 The South-East main line from Kalyan to Palasdari and Palasdari to Khopoli branch opened for traffic with stations at Badlapur, Neral and Khopoli.
9 1st October 1856 Mahim Road renamed as Dadar and Parsik station closed.
10 23rd January 1860 The North-East main line extended to Asangaon; Shahapur (Asangaon) station opened.
11 28th January 1861 The North-East main line extended to Kasara; Kasara station opened.
12 1861 Khardi on the north-east mainline and Tillowlee on the Khopoli branch line opened.
13 25th March 1863 Tillowlee station closed.
14 1st April 1863 Dyolee (Karjat) station opened.
15 1864 The Khopoli branch line closed for regular passenger traffic.
16 24th October 1864 Atgaon station opened.
17 1865 Work on doubling of Kalyan-Kasara section started.
18 5th February 1866 The Khopoli branch line reopened for passenger traffic.
19 22nd October 1866 The double line of the Kalyan-Vasind section opened for traffic.
20 19th November 1866 The Khopoli branch line closed for passenger traffic.
21 1867 Work on doubling of Kalyan-Karjat section started.
22 20th February 1867 The double line of the Vasind-Atgaon section opened for traffic.
23 12th March 1867 The Khopoli branch line reopened for passenger traffic.
24 3rd April 1867 Diva Station opened.
25 25th April 1867 The double line of the Atgaon-Kasara section opened for traffic; doubling of Kalyan-Kasara section completed.
26 9th December 1867 Chinchpokli and Parel stations opened.
27 March 1868 The second line of the Neral-Karjat section opened for traffic.
28 April 1868 - March 1869 The second line of the Kalyan-Neral section opened for traffic and the old line of Kalyan-Karjat section closed for the purpose of renewing sleepers and worn-out rails and re-ballasting.


Work on quadrupling of Bori Bunder to Byculla section started.
29 1st June 1869 The Mahim branch line closed.
30 25th July 1870 The double line of the Kalyan-Karjat section opened for traffic; doubling of Kalyan-Karjat section completed.
31 1872 The Khopoli branch line closed.
32 3rd November 1873 Sion station opened.
33 20th September 1875 Masjid station opened.
34 1877 - 1878 Hala Gate (Ambernath), Vangani, Chinchowli (Bhivpuri Road) and Palasdari stations opened.
35 May 1878 Work on new Bori Bunder Terminus (current; south of old) started.
36 1879 Quadrupling of Bori Bunder to Nesbit Road LC completed.
37 1879 - 1880 Ghatkopar and Khadavli station opened.
38 1st November 1879 The Khopoli branch line reopened for passenger traffic with new station at Tillowlee (Kelavli).
39 1880-1883 Mumbra station opened.
40 1st January 1882 Traffic moved from the old Bori Bunder Terminus to the new Bori Bunder Terminus (VT/CSMT).
41 1st October 1883 Matunga station opened.
42 1st January 1884 Currey Road station opened.
43 18th February 1886 The great hall and booking office of new Bori Bunder terminus (VT/CSMT) opened for public.
44 16th February 1887 New Bori Bunder terminus renamed to Victoria Terminus (CSMT).
45 12th September 1887 Statue of Progress placed on the apex of dome of Victoria Terminus (CSMT).
46 May 1888 All remaining work on Victoria Terminus (CSMT), such as refreshment and waiting rooms, has been completed.
47 1889-1893 Demauli (Dombivli) station opened.
48 1891-1892 Work on quadrupling of Nesbit Road to north of new Byculla station started.
49 1st July 1892 Old Byculla station (at south side of Byculla bridge) closed and new station (current; north of old) opened.
50 1893-1894 Quadrupling of Nesbit Road to north of Byculla station completed. Work on new Kurla station (current location; north of old) started.
51 February 1893 Work on new station at Chinchpokli and Currey Road started.
52 1st July 1894 Mazagaon station opened.
53 1895 Work on new station at Chinchpokli and Currey Road has been completed. Old Kurla station (next to old LC/near Sarveshwar temple) closed and new Kurla station opened.

1900 - 1949

SL No. Date Details
54 1902-1907 Vikhroli, Mulund and Parsik stations opened.
55 4th December 1905 Quadrupling of Byculla to Currey Road section completed and opened for traffic.
56 1st February 1911 The Harbour branch opened for passenger traffic with Tank Bunder (Reay Road), Sewri temporary, Sewri, and Kolvada (G.T.B. Nagar) stations.
57 March 1912 Work on quadrupling of Currey Road-Thane section started.
58 March 1912 - March 1917 Quadrupling of Currey Road-Kalyan section and Alterations to various stations as a part of project; Ghatkopar station reconstructed; Parel, Dadar, Kurla and Thane stations remodelled; Kalyan station reconstructed for a new yard.
59 April 1913 Work on quadrupling of Thane-Kalyan section started.
60 22nd February 1914 Sewri station closed, Sewri temporary renamed to Sewri and Vadala (Gowari/Wadala Road) station opened.
61 1914 - 1917 Vadala renamed to Gowari
62 January 1915 Quadrupling of Currey Road-Thane section completed.
63 18th February 1917 Reay Road Station closed to lay sidings for military traffic.
64 19th February 1917 Temporary Reay Road Station at Albert Road (Tanaji Malusare Road) Level crossing opened.
65 30th March 1917 The Parsik Tunnel opened for traffic, marking the completion of the Currey Road-Kalyan quadrupling project.
66 22nd April 1918 Temporary Reay Road Station closed and Current Reay Road station opened.
67 22nd November 1919 Kolvada (G.T.B. Nagar) and Gowari (Wadala road) stations temporary closed.
68 23rd November 1919 Parsik station temporary closed.
69 6th December 1920 Parsik station reopened.
70 1st April 1921 Gowari (Wadala road) station reopened.
71 1922-1929 Thakurli station opened.
72 1st November 1923 Cotton Green station opened.
73 4th February 1924 Kurla-Chembur section of the Kurla-Trombay line opened for passenger traffic; Chembur station opened.
74 31st January 1925 Mazagaon station closed.
75 1st February 1925 Sandhurst Road lower-level station opened.
76 3rd February 1925 The Harbour line electrified and extended till Victoria Terminus (CSMT); Sandhurst Road upper-level and Dockyard Road stations opened.
77 1926 Victoria Terminus (CSMT) remodelling project started.
78 1st July 1927 The Kurla-Trombay line extended to Mandala; Mandala (Mankhurd) station opened.
79 1st September 1927 Victoria Terminus (CSMT) remodelling: Four new platforms (No. 10, 11, 12, and 13) opened for traffic, Steam traffic moved to new platforms. Old platforms No. 5, 6, and 7 taken out of use to make way for further remodelling work.
80 9th January 1928 The Central Salsette Tramway line opened for traffic with stations at Andheri, Chakala, Shahar, Santa Cruz, Kolhe-Kalyan, Kalina, Agra Road, Kurla, Mahul Road and Wadavli.
81 15th February 1929 Govandi station opened.
82 27th March 1929 New station building at Victoria terminus (CSMT) opened, concluding Victoria terminus remodelling project.
83 1st April 1930 The Central Salsette Tramway line closed.
84 1st April 1931 Parsik station closed.
85 April 1933 Gowari renamed to Wadala Road.
86 1st October 1941 Kings Circle station opened.
87 1st November 1948 James Siding (Vithalwadi) station opened.

1950 - 1999

SL No. Date Details
88 1st January 1954 Kalwa station opened.
89 8th March 1954 Shahad station opened.
90 July 1956 Work on doubling of Kurla-Chembur section started.
91 7th January 1957 Ulhasnagar station opened.
92 13th April 1959 Double line of Kurla-Chembur section opened for traffic.
93 15th June 1960 Chunabhatti station opened.
94 16th August 1961 Vidyavihar station opened.
95 26th December 1963 Ambivli station opened.
96 26th January 1968 Kanjurmarg station opened.
97 1st March 1977 Kolvada station renamed to Guru Tegh Bahadur Nagar.
98 March 1980 Doubling of Chembur-Mankhurd section completed.
99 29th June 1980 Double line of Chembur-Mankhurd section opened for traffic.
100 1st May 1984 Shelu station opened.
101 7th May 1990 Work on double discharge platforms at Victoria Terminus (CSMT) Started.
102 21st May 1990 Victoria Terminus (CSMT) double discharge platforms project: First double discharge platform (8A) opened.
103 1st November 1990 Victoria Terminus (CSMT) double discharge platforms project: Work on platform no.6 and no.7 started.
104 21st December 1990 Victoria Terminus (CSMT) double discharge platforms project: Work on platform no.2 and no.3 started.
105 26th December 1990 Victoria Terminus (CSMT) double discharge platforms project: Most of the work on last stage of project completed (platform no.2 and no.3), with only finishing touches left.
106 17th January 1991 Victoria Terminus (CSMT) double discharge platforms project completed and opened for use.
107 27th September 1991 Tilak Nagar station opened.
108 9th May 1992 The Harbour line extended to Vashi; Vashi station opened.
109 9th February 1993 The Harbour line extended to Nerul; Sanpada, Juinagar and Nerul stations opened.
110 16th June 1993 The Harbour line extended to Belapur; CBD Belapur Station opened.
111 26th January 1995 The Harbour line extended to Khandeshwar; Kharghar and Khandeshwar stations opened.
112 4th March 1996 Victoria terminus renamed to Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus.
113 29th June 1998 The Harbour line extended to Panvel; Panvel suburban station opened.

2000 - present

SL No. Date Details
114 12th June 2004 Seawoods-Darave station opened.
115 9th November 2004 The Trans-Harbour line opened for traffic with stations at Airoli, Ghansoli, Koparkhairane and Turbhe.
116 21st April 2006 Nahur station opened.
117 20th May 2007 Rabale station opened.
118 3rd September 2007 Kopar station opened.
119 28th March 2008 Mansarovar station opened.
120 17th June 2017 Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus renamed to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus.
121 16th February 2018 Umbarmali and Thansit officially declared as passenger stations.
122 12th November 2018 The Port line opened for traffic with stations at Bamandongri and Kharkopar.
123 12th January 2024 The Port line extended to Uran; Ranjanpada (Shemtikhar), Nava Sheva, Dronagiri, Uran on the Port line and Digha Gaon on the Trans-harbour line opened.

Bibliography and Sources

  1. 18 Apr 1853, The Bombay Times and Journal of Commerce
  2. 08 Apr 1853, The Bombay Times and Journal of Commerce; 19th April 1853, The Bombay Times and Journal of Commerce
  3. The complaint published in The Bombay Gazette on July 23, 1853, states that the GIPR has not constructed the station at Dadar, as promised two months earlier and 11th October 1853 Time Table includes Mahim Road station.
  4. 01 May 1854, The Bombay Gazette
  5. The first known mention of Parsik station appears in January 1855 Time Table.
  6. Station buildings tender notice published in 21 April 1852, The Bombay Gazette mentions Kurla as the station location and not Sion. According to the October 1853 Time Table, distance to Sion station was 9.25 miles and distance to Kurla station in the January 1856 Time Table is 9.25 miles. Also, Kurla cutting illustration published in 4th June 1853 edition of The Illustrated London News shows station next to cutting. The last known mention of Sion station is in the January 1855 Time Table and first known mention of Kurla station in October 1855 Time Table. All of this suggest Sion station was actually located in Kurla and station renaming to Kurla happened in 1855.
  7. 01 October 1855, The Bombay Gazette
  8. 08 May 1856, The Bombay Gazette
  9. 30 September 1856, The Bombay Gazette
  10. 20 January 1860, The Bombay Gazette
  11. 28 January 1861, The Bombay Gazette
  12. Khardi on the north-east mainline is mentioned in various newspaper articles from 1861 and in the timetable published on October 1, 1861, in The Bombay Gazette, it is specifically noted as a station.
    Tillowlee appears in Bradshaw for 1862, which contains a timetable from the year 1861.
  13. 24 March 1863, The Bombay Gazette
  14. 24 March 1863, The Bombay Gazette
  15. 1863-64 Annual Report of the Bombay Presidency; 25 March 1864 The Bombay Gazette; 9 June 1864 The Bombay Gazette; Report of the Bombay Chamber of Commerce, for the year 1865-66; After the opening of Bhor Ghat for passenger traffic on 23rd March 1864, it appears that the Khopoli branch was no longer used for regular passenger traffic.
  16. 24 October 1864, The Times of India
  17. 1864-65 General Report on the Administration of the Bombay Presidency
  18. 31 January 1866, The Bombay Gazette; General Report on the Administration of the Bombay Presidency for the year 1865-66
  19. 1866-67 General Report on the Administration of the Bombay Presidency
  20. 16 November 1866, The Times of India
  21. 1866-67 General Report on the Administration of the Bombay Presidency
  22. 1866-67 General Report on the Administration of the Bombay Presidency
  23. 8 March 1867, The Bombay Gazette
  24. 2 April 1867, The Bombay Gazette
  25. 1867-68 General Report on the Administration of the Bombay Presidency
  26. 07 December 1867, The Times of India
  27. 1867-68 General Report on the Administration of the Bombay Presidency
  28. 1868-69 General Report on the Administration of the Bombay Presidency
  29. 28 May 1869, The Times of India
  30. 1870-71 General Report on the Administration of the Bombay Presidency
  31. Gazetteer of the Bombay Presidency - Thane Part I
  32. 30 October 1873, The Times of India
  33. 1875-76 Annual Report of the Bombay Presidency
  34. These stations are missing in the 1877 Time Table but railway traffic table provided in The Gazetteer of the Bombay Presidency - Thane Part I shows them as working stations in 1878.
  35. 24 May 1888, The Bombay Gazette
  36. 1879-80 Report on the Administration of the Bombay Presidency
  37. Ghatkopar is missing from the timetable published in The Times of India on July 4, 1879 but appear in the station list published in the 23 July 1880 issue of The Bombay Gazette.
    • The Gazetteer of the Bombay Presidency - Thane Part I; based on the railway traffic table provided here, Khadavli was opened between 1879 and 1880.
  38. 27 October 1879, The Bombay Gazette
  39. 08 October 1883, The Times of India; Mumbra is mentioned as newly opened station.
  40. 02 January 1882, The Times of India
  41. 01 September 1883, Voice of India
  42. 29 December 1883, The Bombay Guardian
  43. 18 February 1886, The Times of India
  44. 18 February 1887, The Times of India
  45. 14 September 1887, The Times of India
  46. 24 May 1888, The Bombay Gazette
  47. Dombivli is missing in the 1899 Time Table but appears in the 1893 Time Table.
  48. 1891-92 Administration Report on the Railways in India
  49. 24 June 1892, The Bombay Gazette
  50. 1893-94, Administration Report on the Railways in India
  51. 23 February 1893, The Times Of India
  52. 1894-95 Administration Report on the Railways in India
  53. 1895-96 Administration Report on the Railways in India
  54. An article published in the 28 August 1901 edition of The Times of India mentions Vikhroli and Mulund as signaling stations, and an alteration notice published in the 27 August 1907 issue of The Bombay Gazette states that both are passenger stations.
    Parsik station was sanctioned in 1903, as mentioned by Dr. Arora sir in his book, and an article published in the 7 May 1908 issue of The Bombay Gazette refers to Parsik as a new station.
  55. 1905-06 Report on the Administration of the Bombay Presidency
    1. 1908-09 Administration Report on the Railways in India
  56. 30 January 1911, The Bombay Gazette
  57. 31 March 1917, The Times of India
  58. The Locomotive magazine Vol.22
  59. 19 February 1914, The Times of India
  60. 31 March 1917, The Times of India
  61. 31 March 1917, The Times of India
  62. 21 February 1914, The Bombay Chronicle
  63. In the GIPR suburban timetable of December 1917, the name of the station after Kolvada is Gowari.
  64. 31 March 1917, The Times of India
  65. 16 February 1917, The Times of India
  66. 16 February 1917, The Times of India
  67. 31 March 1917, The Times of Indi
  68. 19 April 1918, The Bombay Chronicle
  69. 21 November 1919, The Times of India
  70. 21 November 1919, The Times of India
  71. 3 December 1920, The Bombay Chronicle
  72. 23 March 1921, The Times of India
  73. Thakurli is missing from an article published in the December 1922 issue of The Railway Magazine but appears in the 6 November 1929 issue of The Bombay Chronicle.
  74. 3 November 1923, The Bombay Chronicle
  75. 4 February 1924, The Bombay Chronicle
  76. 16 January 1925, The Bombay Chronicle
  77. 16 January 1925, The Bombay Chronicle
  78. 2 February 1925, The Times of India
  79. 07 April 1927, The Times of India
  80. 28 June 1927, The Times of India
  81. 31 August 1927, The Times of India
  82. 12 January 1928, The Times of India
  83. 15 February 1929, The Bombay Chronicle
  84. 28 March 1929, The Times of India
  85. 28 March 1930, Times of India
  86. 28 February 1931, Times of India
  87. 13 April 1933, The Times of India
  88. 30 September 1941, The Bombay Chronicle
  89. 5 November 1948, The Bombay Chronicle
  90. 31 December 1953, Times of India and Mumbai local book
  91. 07 March 1954, The Times of India
  92. 16 April 1957, The Times of India
  93. 06 January 1957, The Times of India
  94. 14 April 1959, The Times of India
  95. 16 June 1960, The Times of India
  96. 17 August 1961, The Times of India
  97. 25 December 1963, The Times of India
  98. 26 January 1968, The Times of India
  99. 02 March 1977, The Times of India
  100. 23 March 1980, The Times of India
  101. 03 July 1980, The Times of India
  102. 01 May 1984, The Times of India
  103. 08 May 1990, The Times of India
  104. 22 May 1990, The Times of India
  105. 31 October 1990, The Times of India
  106. 29 December 1990, The Times of India
  107. 29 December 1990, The Times of India
  108. 18 January 1991, The Times of India
  109. 28 September 1991, The Times of India
  110. 10 May 1992, The Times of India
  111. 09 February 1993, The Times of India
  112. 17 June 1993, The Times of India
  113. Mumbai Local Book
  114. 05 March 1996, The Times of India
  115. 30 June 1998, The Times of India
  116. 19 June 2004, The Times of India
  117. 09 November 2004, The Times of India
  118. 21 April 2006, The Times of India
  119. 21 June 2007, The Times of India
  120. 01 Sep 2007, The Times of India
  121. 29 March 2008, The Times of India
  122. 29 Jun 2017, ANI News
  123. 17 February 2018, The Indian express
  124. 9 November 2018, Times of India
  125. 12 January 2024, Hindustan Times and The Free Press Journal

Archival Sources

  1. The Asiatic Society of Mumbai
  2. The British Library
  3. Dhananjayrao Gadgil Library
  4. ProQuest Historical Newspapers
  5. Bodleian Library
  6. Personal collection of Author
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