Mumbai railway authorities will operate multiple maintenance blocks across the city’s suburban corridors this Sunday, temporarily altering train schedules on both Central and Western lines to facilitate vital infrastructure and safety works. The move aims to ensure long-term reliability and passenger safety but is expected to impact thousands of daily commuters.
According to railway officials, the Central Railway (CR) will carry out a four-hour mega block between Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) and Vidyavihar from 10.55 am to 3.55 pm. During this period, trains on the Up and Down Slow lines will be diverted to Fast lines, halting only at major stations such as Byculla, Dadar, and Kurla before rejoining their respective routes. Services between Ghatkopar and CSMT will also follow altered stopping patterns to maintain traffic flow. On the Harbour Line, operations between Kurla and Vashi will be suspended from 11.10 am to 4.10 pm, leading to the cancellation of several Up and Down services. To ease commuter inconvenience, special suburban trains will operate between CSMT and Kurla as well as Panvel and Vashi, while passengers will be allowed to travel via the Thane–Vashi/Nerul corridor during the affected hours.
A senior Central Railway official explained that these blocks are “critical for maintaining safe and efficient suburban operations” and include inspection of overhead equipment, track renewal, and signal testing. “We understand the temporary inconvenience, but these works are essential to prevent technical failures and ensure long-term commuter safety,” the official said. Simultaneously, the Western Railway (WR) has announced a five-hour jumbo block between Churchgate and Mumbai Central (local) from 10.35 am to 3.35 pm. During this maintenance window, all Fast trains will operate on Slow lines, and several services will be short-terminated or reversed from Bandra or Dadar to manage congestion.
Transport experts point out that such coordinated maintenance across Mumbai’s two busiest suburban systems reflects a growing emphasis on urban infrastructure resilience. “Mumbai’s suburban network moves over seven million people daily. Scheduled maintenance like this is vital to keep the system safe and sustainable,” said a mobility planner. Commuters have been advised to plan their travel accordingly and use digital updates provided by railway authorities for real-time service information. Officials also stressed that these scheduled blocks form part of a broader modernisation effort, including digital signalling, track strengthening, and sustainable electrification initiatives aimed at reducing downtime and emissions.
While short-term disruptions are inevitable, city transport analysts say that systematic maintenance ensures the city’s ageing railway infrastructure remains reliable in the face of rising commuter demand and climate-related stresses.
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