Commuters in Mumbai should prepare for significant travel disruptions this Sunday as the Central Railway has scheduled a major mega block on its suburban network. This essential engineering and maintenance work will impact both the Main Line and the Harbour Line for several hours, leading to a series of diversions, cancellations, and modified services.
Main Line Service Adjustments
On the crucial Main Line, significant changes will be in effect from 10.55 am to 3.55 pm. During this five-hour window, all up and down slow line services running between Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) and Vidyavihar will be diverted onto the fast lines. This is a key operational shift to facilitate the maintenance work while keeping services running.
For passengers on trains heading towards CSMT between 10.48 am and 3.45 pm, expect halts at major stations including Byculla, Parel, Dadar, Matunga, Sion, and Kurla. These services will subsequently rejoin the slow line at Vidyavihar. Conversely, for trains departing from CSMT towards Ghatkopar between 10.19 am and 3.52 pm, the journey will occur on the fast line with stops at Kurla, Sion, Matunga, Dadar, Parel, and Byculla.
Harbour Line & Trans-Harbour Cancellations
The Harbour Line will face substantial service interruptions from 11.05 am to 4.05 pm. Railway authorities have confirmed the cancellation of all Harbour Line services between Panvel and Vashi, with the exception of trains on the PORT line, which will operate as usual.
Specifically, Harbour trains from Panvel to CSMT scheduled between 10.33 am and 3.49 pm will not run. In the opposite direction, Harbour trains from CSMT to Belapur and Panvel from 9.45 am to 3.12 pm are also cancelled.
The ripple effect extends to the Trans-Harbour Line as well. Services from Panvel to Thane (departing between 11.02 am and 3.53 pm) and from Thane to Panvel (departing between 10.01 am and 3.20 pm) have been called off for the duration of the block.
Alternative Arrangements for Passengers
To mitigate the inconvenience for daily commuters, the Central Railway has arranged for special local trains to operate on certain segments. Special services will run between CSMT and Vashi stations on the Harbour Line. For Trans-Harbour commuters, special train services will be available between Thane and Vashi/Nerul stations during the block period.
Passengers are strongly advised to check the latest updates from official Central Railway sources before embarking on their journey this Sunday. Allowing for extra travel time and planning for potential delays is highly recommended to navigate this scheduled disruption smoothly.
