Central Railway’s 63-hour Mega Block to Affect Trains in Mumbai, Pune, and Nashik, Over 900 Trains to be Affected
The Indian Railways’ “mega block” in Thane and Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) is starting at midnight on May 30. This 63-hour mega block by Central Railway will heavily disrupt normal life in the city as local train services will be heavily affected. The Railway operates more than 1,800 local train services on its four corridors—Main, Harbour, Trans-Harbour, and Uran—every day, serving over 30 lakh commuters.
Impact on Train Services
Initially, Central Railway had announced the cancellation of 956 local trains, but later decided to operate 26 services. However, they have officially advised people to use local trains only as a last resort during this period.
- Short-Termination of Services: 444 suburban services will be short-terminated, including seven on Friday, 306 on Saturday, and 131 on Sunday.
- Originating Services: A total of 446 local train services, including 307 on Saturday and 139 on Sunday, will originate from various stations.
FAQs on Central Railway’s 63-hour Mega Block
What?
The Central Railway will operate a 63-hour mega block starting from May 30 at midnight for platform extension works on the Mumbai network. A total of 72 mail-express trains and 956 suburban trains on the Main and Harbour corridors will be cancelled from Friday to Sunday, according to a railway source.
Why Does It Matter?
The extension works will affect Mumbai’s local train network, used by lakhs of people for daily commutes. Long-distance trains to and from Mumbai are also likely to be impacted during the block period.
Why?
Once the platform breadth is widened, the railways will be able to establish facilities including escalators or wider staircases for Foot Over Bridges (FOB) on the platforms.
How?
The mega block will be carried out for platform extension and widening works at CSMT and Thane stations. Thane’s platforms 5 and 6 will be widened during the first phase starting at midnight on Thursday. Subsequently, extension works on CSMT’s 11th and 12th platforms will commence from Friday midnight, estimated to last 36 hours.
When Will It End?
The platform extension works at CSMT and the widening of Thane station platforms are expected to conclude by 3:30 PM on Sunday, June 02, 2024, according to a Central Railway release.
How Many Trains Will Be Affected?
In total, 930 local trains, including 161 on Friday, 534 on Saturday, and 235 on Sunday, will be cancelled during the mega block at CSMT and Thane, the Central Railway has confirmed.
Key Stations to Note
Several mail-express and suburban trains will be short-terminated and short-originated from the following stations:
- Wadala
- Dadar
- Thane
- Pune
- Panvel
- Nashik
During the block period, several mail-express and suburban trains will be short-terminated and short-originated from Wadala, Dadar, Thane, Pune, Panvel and Nashik stations.
This Central Railway’s 63-hour mega block is a significant event, and commuters are advised to plan their travel accordingly to avoid inconvenience.
