Mumbai Local Train Commuters Brace for Weekend Chaos: 930 Services Cancelled

Mumbai, 31st May 2024: Mumbai Local Trains Disrupted: Essential infrastructure upgrade works by the Central Railways (CR) will lead to the cancellation of approximately 930 suburban train services in Mumbai over the weekend. This will impact both local and long-distance train services, causing significant inconvenience to commuters.

Reasons for the Disruption:
The Mumbai Division of CR has planned a special 63-hour block to expand Platform 5/6 at Thane station and a 36-hour block to extend Platforms 10/11 at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT). These upgrades are part of CR’s ongoing efforts to enhance railway infrastructure.

Swapnil Nila, Chief Public Relations Officer of Mumbai Division of CR, clarified that such maintenance blocks are routine and typically scheduled during off-peak hours, weekends, or public holidays to minimize commuter inconvenience.

Expansion of Platforms:
The extension of Platforms 10/11 at CSMT will allow long-distance trains to accommodate up to 24 coaches, a significant increase from the current capacity of 13 coaches. This will benefit passengers travelling between Mumbai and cities like Pune or Nashik.

At Thane station, widening Platform 5/6 aims to increase capacity and reduce overcrowding. Utilizing modular pre-cast blocks will expedite construction, reducing the timeframe from six months to just two and a half days.

Details of the Blocks:
During the 36-hour block at CSMT, from 12.30 am on June 1 to 12.30 pm on June 2, train services between CSMT-Byculla and CSMT-Vadala Road will be suspended. This will affect UP and DOWN Harbour Line trains between CSMT and Vadala Road (excluding), UP and DOWN slow lines between CSMT and Byculla (excluding), and UP and DOWN fast lines between CSMT and Byculla (excluding).

Similarly, during the 63-hour block at Thane, running from 12.30 am on May 31 to 3.30 pm on June 2, numerous suburban services will be cancelled. Affected routes include the UP Slow Line from Kalva (including CSMT end crossovers) to Thane (all crossovers), the DOWN Fast Line from Thane (all crossovers) to Kalva (all crossovers), and the UP Fast Line from Kalva (all crossovers) to Thane (all crossovers).

Impact on Services:
A total of 930 suburban train services will be cancelled during the block period, with approximately 161 services affected on Friday, 534 on Saturday, and 235 on Sunday. Additionally, 444 suburban services will be short-terminated during this time, with seven on Friday, 306 on Saturday, and 131 on Sunday.