The Konkan Railway (KR) is considering the possibility of introducing a special roll-on/roll-off (Ro-Ro) train service for car transportation during the upcoming Ganapati festival, provided there is sufficient public demand. The operation of this service would require a minimum of 40 cars to be transported at once.

Traditionally, the KR Ro-Ro service has been used for trucks, allowing vehicles to be transported along with their drivers. Over the past 15 months, the corporation secured projects worth Rs 31.50 billion through tendering and is currently executing works valued at Rs 40.87 billion.

KR plans to invest Rs 1.25 billion over the next three years on various passenger amenities, including platform extensions, construction of foot overbridges (FOBs), and provision of retiring rooms at railway stations. The Maharashtra Public Works Department has already spent Rs 990 million on developing 11 stations on the KR network, while the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) is investing Rs 39 crore specifically for facilities at Ratnagiri station.

Most of the Konkan Railway route remains a single line, except for a 47-kilometer section. To improve capacity, KR has proposed patch doubling works estimated at Rs 51 billion, but implementation depends on ministerial support. Currently, Konkan Railway has a loan of approximately Rs 27.50 million, with plans to repay Rs 6 billion of this debt during the current financial year.

News source: Maritime Gateway