Mumbaikars beware! Central Railway is set to mega block the weekend

If you plan on boarding a late night train from Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus CST during the weekend then kindly make other travel arrangements because the Central Railway CR authorities will be carrying out their massive 72hour mega block whose first leg will begin on February 19 at 130 amAlso Read Harbour Line platform extension Be prepared for CRs longest ever mega block of 72 hoursDuring this period the authorities would extend the length of the platform and make other changes File pic for representationStarting Friday night CR will shut train services that begin from platform number 2 at CST for the next 72 hours This means that the Harbour line and part of the main line will remain affected since one entire platform wouldnrsquot be available for trains ldquoOn February 19 we will run 445 services instead of 590 services which operate otherwise These train services are the ones that arrive on platform 2 of CSTrdquo said a CR officialWorking on crossoversDuring this period the authorities would extend the length of the platform make changes in the turnouts of crossovers ndash used by trains to switch tracks ndash change the alignment of overhead wires and tracks and then finally lay a path for carrying out work on the platforms to operate 12car trains There are two crossovers four turnouts in total between platform 1 and 2 of CST Trains use these while arriving and departing from the platformsRead Story Maintenance woes hit CR services 3 out of 5 days this monthSources said that the CR authorities have changed the physical location of three turnouts until now but the last one can only be done during the block and hence platform 2 will be shut The second phase will begin on February 20 CR will then implement a bigger block when platforms 1 and 2 will be shut for train services between CST and Wadala On February 19 the train services are expected to be delayed by 35 minutes During this time trains will operate between Panvel Andheri and WadalaKurla after which people can use the Main lineOfficials claimed the biggest worry during the remodelling of the CST yard was the issue of route relay interlocking and the signalling system which controls the running of trains For the next 72 hours nearly 400 workers and 50 engineers will carry out this mega block so as to ensure that the extended platforms shall allow trains to be augmented from 9car to 12carAmitabh Ojha Divisional Railway Manager Mumbai CR said ldquoOnce we complete this 72hour block we will be able to begin work on implementing the 12car trains on Harbour linerdquoHowever this does not mean that 12car trains will start operating on CR once the 72hour block is complete This block will give CR authorities the scope to level platforms fit roofs and carry out other works that would take at least 3035 days not just at CST but right up to Wadala and wherever work is pending At present major repairs need to be done at CST Dockyard Road and Wadala stationsUpgrading powerThe authorities are also simultaneously working on upgrading power from 1500volt DC to 25000volt AC which will take impetus after the 72hour block The deadline for this upgrade is March 31 and the CR needs 12 additional rakesThe 10lakh commuters on Harbour line will be able to avail services of the 12car trains only by the end of April by when they will procure 144 12car coaches to add to their existing fleet This will allow a 33 per cent increase in the capacity on Harbour line Currently CR has a fleet of 41 9car rakes on Harbour line though they operate 36 rakes daily on CSTPanvelAndheri route