India, June 25 -- On Mumbai's suburban railway network, where every second counts, the Western Railway (WR) will deploy 'pushers' at high-footfall stations to speed up boarding and ensure trains stay on schedule. Even a few extra seconds lost during halts can snowball into delays across the network.

These 'pushers' will be trained staff, who will facilitate boarding particularly for overcrowded air-conditioned (AC) locals during peak hours as these locals have emerged as a chief cause of delays on the network, say WR officials.

"AC locals have automatic doors and limited entry and exit points. During peak hours, passengers take longer to board and alight, which increases the halt time at stations, impacting the punctuality of subsequent...