Mumbai, 6th September 2024 – Central Railway has announced a night block this weekend for crucial engineering and maintenance work on its slow lines, while cancelling the routine mega block on the Harbour and Trans-Harbour lines this Sunday, 8th September. This measure aims to ensure operational efficiency and infrastructure upkeep, with passengers advised to plan their travel accordingly to avoid inconvenience.
The night block will be in effect between Masjid and Kurla stations on the Up and Down Slow lines from 12:30 am to 4:30 am on the night of Saturday and Sunday, 7th and 8th September. This maintenance work, essential for railway infrastructure safety, will necessitate the diversion of services during these hours. Trains on the Down Slow line departing from Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) between 12:14 am and 12:24 am will be redirected to the Down Fast line between CSMT and Vidyavihar stations, with scheduled halts at Byculla, Parel, Dadar, Matunga, Sion, and Kurla. They will then rejoin the Down Slow line at Vidyavihar station.
Similarly, Up Slow line services departing from Ghatkopar between 12:10 am and 4:24 am will be diverted to the Up Fast line from Vidyavihar to CSMT, stopping at Kurla, Sion, Matunga, Dadar, Parel, and Byculla stations. The last train on the Down Slow line before the block will be the Thane local departing CSMT at 11:55 pm, and the first train post-block will be the Karjat local departing CSMT at 4:47 am. On the Up Slow line, the final train before the block will be the Karjat local departing from Kurla at 11:35 pm, with the first post-block service being the Thane local, departing Thane at 4:42 am.
In response to the increased demand during Ganeshotsav 2024, Central Railway has also scheduled four additional unreserved special trains between Mumbai and Kudal in the Sindhudurg district. The CSMT-Kudal unreserved special (Train No. 01181/01182) will make two trips over the weekend. The first train will depart from CSMT Mumbai at 3:30 pm on Saturday, reaching Kudal at 3:30 am the following day, while the return journey will depart from Kudal at 4:30 pm on Sunday, reaching Mumbai the same day. Another set of trains (Train No. 01103/01104) will operate from CSMT Mumbai to Kudal on Sunday and return on Monday.
The trains will comprise a mix of sleeper class, chair cars, and general second-class coaches to accommodate the large number of devotees travelling to their hometowns. Passengers should note that these special services will run unreserved, and tickets must be purchased through the UTS system at normal superfast mail/express train rates. These measures underscore the Railway Administration’s commitment to balancing infrastructure safety and maintenance with the needs of commuters during peak festive seasons. Passengers are urged to cooperate with the Railway authorities and plan their journeys accordingly.
