MillenniumPost
Nation

Central Railway mega block: Mumbaikars face commuting woes, delays due to train cancellations

Mumbai: Users of Central Railway’s suburban services faced delays and overcrowding on Friday morning after a 63-hour-long block commenced to widen platforms at Thane.

The mega block, which started at Thursday midnight, has affected the suburban services on CR’s main corridor, causing inconvenience to lakhs of office-goers.

The Maharashtra government on Friday permitted all public service vehicles in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) to carry out stage carriage operations during the mega block, an official said.

The government issued a notification in the afternoon, more than 12 hours after the 63-hour block commenced, permitting public service vehicles, including buses, taxis and autorickshaws, to ferry passengers from any point, he said.

The government has granted permission under section 66 of the Motor Vehicles Act 1988, the official said.

Another transport department official said taxis, auto rickshaws and contract carriage buses can pick up and drop passengers at multiple locations as per the notification.

Commuters complained of delays of up to 30 minutes, packed local trains and overcrowding at major stations due to the block scheduled for widening platforms 5 and 6 at Thane station.

CR has already announced that at least six long-distance trains and 161 local services will remain cancelled on Friday due to the block.

Anticipating delays and overcrowding, railway authorities have urged commuters to avoid suburban train journeys if not absolutely necessary.

They also appealed to public and private establishments to allow their employees to work from home or provide them alternate means of transport during the block period, besides asking state and municipal transport bodies to run extra buses.

Next Story
Share it