72-hour mega block on suburban network during weekend: Central Railway

The Central Railway will carry out a 72-hour mega block from the intervening night of Friday and Saturday for adding two new lines between Thane and Diva stations located near Mumbai on its suburban network.

At least 350 suburban locals and 117 mail, express and passenger trains will be cancelled during the mega block period, Central Railway's (CR) chief public relations officer Shivaji Sutar said on Wednesday.

Daily commuters and outstation train passengers are likely to face hardship due to the block, as many outstation trains along with suburban locals will be cancelled during the block period, the CR said in a release.

The CR said the block on its fast corridor between Thane and Diva stations will start from February 5 midnight and will carry on till February 7 midnight.

"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.

Under the ambitious Mumbai Urban Transport Project (MUTP), the railway authorities are laying two new railway lines between Thane and Diva stations for the segregation of suburban and outstation trains.

According to railway officials, the much delayed project is expected to be completed soon.

Once the project is completed, it is expected to reduce the traffic congestion in the section, besides allowing more suburban services to be added on the route.

During the mega block, few mail and express trains will also be short-terminated at Panvel and Pune, Sutar said, adding that to avoid congestion in the section, Diva-Vasai-Panvel MEMU train timings have been changed. A few have been cancelled and a few special MEMU services will be operated, he said.

"We have informed all municipalities concerned to arrange buses in the affected sections during the block period," the official said.

Nearly 60 lakh commuters travel in local trains in the Mumbai surburban section daily, and out of them over 30 lakh avail suburban services operated by the Central Railway.