India is home to one of the largest railway networks in the world, with over 67,000 kilometers of track. Amongst these, the suburban railway network is the busiest, carrying millions of passengers every day. But which of the following is the busiest suburban railway network in India?
India’s Busiest Suburban Railway Network
India’s busiest suburban railway network is the Mumbai Suburban Railway, commonly known as the ‘Local’. Operated by the Central and Western Railways, it is the most heavily used commuter rail network in the world, with over 8 million passengers traveling on it every day. It is also one of the oldest railway networks in the country, having been in operation since 1853.
Examining the Options
The other major suburban railway networks in India are the Chennai Suburban Railway, Delhi Suburban Railway, Kolkata Suburban Railway, and Bangalore Suburban Railway. The Chennai Suburban Railway has the second highest ridership, with over 1.5 million passengers daily. The Delhi Suburban Railway, operated by the Northern Railways, has a daily ridership of over 1 million passengers. The Kolkata Suburban Railway is the third busiest suburban railway network, with a daily ridership of around 0.7 million passengers. The Bangalore Suburban Railway, on the other hand, is the least used of the lot, with a daily ridership of only 0.3 million passengers.
It is clear that the Mumbai Suburban Railway is the busiest suburban railway network in India, far surpassing its counterparts in terms of ridership. It is also one of the oldest railway networks in the country, having been in operation since 1853. With its efficient and reliable services, the Mumbai Suburban Railway continues to be the backbone of the city’s transport system.