Mumbai mega-block: 350 suburban locals, 117 mail, express cancelled for 72 hours

At least 350 suburban locals and 117 mail, express and passenger trains have been cancelled for the 72-hour mega block period that started on the intervening night of Friday and Saturday.

The Central Railway has called it an ‘infrastructure block’ for adding two new lines between Thane and Diva stations on its suburban network. The mega block on Thane-Diva fast line started from Friday midnight and will continue till Monday midnight.

The Central Railway said in a statement that daily commuters and outstation train passengers are likely to face hardship due to the block because of the cancellation of many outstation trains along with suburban locals during the block period/

“The Central Railway will operate a special infrastructure block between Thane and Diva for cut & connection works and commissioning of the new RRI building in Diva in connection with Thane-Diva 5th and 6th lines,” the release said.

The two new railway lines between Thane and Diva stations for the segregation of suburban and outstation trains are being laid under the ambitious Mumbai Urban Transport Project (MUTP). The project, which is expected to be completed soon, is aimed at reducing the traffic congestion in the section while allowing more suburban services to be added to the route.

The timings of the Diva-Vasai-Panvel MEMU train have been changed. Few mail and express trains will short-terminate at Panel and Pune during the mega-block.

“We have informed all municipalities concerned to arrange buses in the affected sections during the block period,” the CR public relations officer said.

About 60 lakh commuters travel in local trains operating in the Mumbai suburban section daily, of which over 30 lakh avail suburban services operated by the Central Railway.