Commuters said the sudden suspension of suburban train services on the route between Thane and Navi Mumbai forced them to look for other modes of transport, including buses and autos, to reach their places of work.
Suburban trains are considered the lifeline of Mumbai. A railway spokesperson said that the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority launched 10 girders between 1 am and 4 am on Friday for the new Airpoli-Katai Naka link road.
However, it was noticed that one of the girders had tilted. Considering commuters’ safety, suburban services on the trans-harbour line were suspended from 7.10 am, a railway official, according to PTI.
“A service block for restoration work started at 8.15 am,” the spokesperson added and said that the job will be completed in the next half an hour.
On April 25, the Western Railway had announced a 35-hour mega block on its suburban corridor for regirdering work of a bridge between Kandivali and Borivali. The block over the weekend had affected trains running on suburban and long-distance trains, an official had said.
In a release, WR said the block was for regirdering work of bridge number 61 on the 5th line, carshed line and Kandivali Traffic Yard line. “The mega block is to commence at 1 pm on April 26 and end at midnight on the intervening night of April 27 and 28,” the release read.
Vineet Abhishek, chief public relations officer of Western Railway, said that during the block period, suburban services and Mail/Express trains running on the fifth line will be operated on fast lines.
“Also, a few Mail/ Express trains will be affected, while some suburban services will remain cancelled. Around 73 suburban services will remain cancelled due to the block on Saturday, while around 90 suburban services will remain cancelled on Sunday,” he said.
Two pairs of Express trains will be short-terminated and short originated due to the block, as per WR.
(Edited by : Jerome Anthony)
