On Sunday, November 24, the Central Railway (CR) will implement a significant Mega Block on its suburban sections, impacting several local and express train services. The scheduled engineering and maintenance works, essential for the upkeep of infrastructure, will result in several diversions, cancellations, and delays throughout the day, primarily affecting the Central Line.
From 10:50 am to 3:20 pm, a Mega Block will be imposed on the 5th and 6th lines between Thane and Diva. During this period, passengers are advised to plan their journeys accordingly, as multiple services will be diverted or cancelled. The fast and semi-fast local trains from CSMT to various destinations will see major alterations. For instance, trains departing from CSMT, such as the Karjat and Asangaon locals, will be diverted onto the down slow line, with additional stops at Kalva, Mumbra, and Diva stations. As a result, these services will arrive at their destinations approximately 10 minutes later than the originally scheduled time.
On the upward direction, trains departing from Kalyan, including the Ambarnath and Khopoli locals, will be diverted onto the up slow line between Kalyan and Thane stations, with additional stops at Diva, Mumbra, and Kalva. These trains too will experience delays, with an estimated arrival time of 10 minutes later than usual. Furthermore, services on the Trans-Harbour Line will also be suspended between Thane and Vashi/Nerul stations, affecting both down and up line services from 11:10 am to 4:10 pm. Several services departing from Thane, as well as from Vashi, Nerul, and Panvel, will be cancelled during this block. In addition to local services, several long-distance Mail and Express trains will also be diverted. These include high-profile trains like the Solapur-CSMT Vande Bharat Express and the Chennai-CSMT Express. These trains will be diverted onto the fast lines between Kalyan and Thane, resulting in delays of 10 to 15 minutes.
Notably, the train services from Lokmanya Tilak Terminus (LTT) and Panvel will also experience short-terminations and cancellations, with some trains being either short-originated or cancelled entirely. The CR has urged passengers to check the revised train schedules before travelling and expressed regret for the inconvenience caused. According to a Central Railway official, these maintenance mega blocks are crucial for the continued safety and improvement of the city’s railway infrastructure. Passengers are requested to bear with the temporary disruptions, as these necessary works will ensure smoother services in the future.
