The Central Railway has announced a mega-block in Mumbai that will have at least 467 trains cancelled including a few local trains. The 72-hour mega-block will take place on Friday and Saturday. As per the Chief Public Relations Officer of Central Railways, Shivaji Sutar, the mega-block is taking place due to the addition of two new lines between Thane and Diva stations located near Mumbai. The mega-block will begin on February 5 at midnight and continue till February 7 at midnight. According to the railways, at least 350 suburban locals and 117 mail, express, and passenger trains will be cancelled. The officials said, "We have informed all municipalities concerned to arrange buses in the affected sections during the block period."
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.