Daijiworld Media Network - Mumbai
Mumbai, Feb 6: Local train services between Goregaon and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) on the Western Railway line will be suspended for nearly three months to facilitate construction of the 5th and 6th railway lines, senior railway officials said.
As part of the project, the Bandra–Khar railway bridge will be demolished and rebuilt to accommodate the new tracks. Officials told Lokmat that detailed planning is underway and the prolonged block will be implemented shortly.
Western Railway is currently executing a major infrastructure upgrade by developing additional lines between Mumbai Central and Borivali. While the 5th and 6th lines are already in place between Bandra and Borivali, progress on the Mahim–Santacruz stretch had been stalled due to space constraints. Although a six-month block was proposed earlier in 2024, the duration has now been reduced to three months to minimise inconvenience to commuters.
The project, estimated to cost Rs 964.84 crore, is targeted for completion by December 2027.
At present, 88 local train services operate between Goregaon and CSMT, while 106 services run between Bandra and CSMT. Nearly 3.62 lakh commuters depend on this corridor daily, including passengers travelling via Dadar, Prabhadevi, Mahim and Vasai Road. During the block period, most Goregaon–CSMT local services will remain suspended, severely impacting daily commuters, though limited services between Bandra and CSMT are expected to continue.
Railway officials said that once the 5th and 6th lines become operational, suburban services between Churchgate and Borivali — and further up to CSMT — will run more smoothly. The upgrade will also allow the introduction of additional services up to Virar, significantly enhancing capacity on the busy Western line.
However, commuters have been advised to brace for a challenging three-month period during the execution phase.
A senior Western Railway official pointed out that a 5th line on the eastern side of Bandra was constructed in 2017–18 at a cost of around Rs 10 crore but could not be commissioned due to political and local opposition. Had it been operationalised, officials said, the demolition of the bridge and the current large-scale shutdown could have been avoided.
Western Railway Chief Public Relations Officer Vineet Abhishek said the project is critical for the long-term improvement of Mumbai’s suburban rail network and will significantly boost operational capacity once completed. He added that while a final start date is yet to be announced, efforts are being made to ensure passenger inconvenience is kept to a minimum.