Mumbai Local Train Services: Mega Blocks For Carnac Bridge Reconstruction This Weekend; Check New Timings Here

The 150-year-old British-era Carnac Bridge, which was demolished in 2022, is entering a critical phase of reconstruction. The Central Railway (CR) and the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) are set to launch girders for the road over the bridge, necessitating two back-to-back mega blocks this weekend, as reported by Hindustan Times (HT).

The most significant block commences on October 12 and continues into the early hours of October 13. According to CR officials, special traffic and power blocks will be in place to launch open web girders for the Carnac Road Over Bridge (ROB) between Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) and Masjid stations, using road cranes.

Photo Credit: Central Railway X

"The block will start at midnight and last for six hours during the night from Saturday to Sunday. Train services on the fast, slow, and harbour lines will be suspended between Byculla/Wadala and CSMT during this time," said Dr Swapnil Nila in HT, Chief Public Relations Officer of CR.

Local train services on the Main Line will be affected, with services short-terminating at Byculla, Parel, and Kurla stations. On the Harbour Line, trains will be short-terminated at Wadala Road station.

Photo Credit: Central Railway X

The last local train from CSMT to Titwala on the slow line will depart at 11:42 pm. The last local for CSMT will leave Ambernath on the slow line at 10:14 pm, while the last fast train from Kasara will reach Kalyan at 10:33 pm.

The first local train from CSMT will be a Titwala slow train, departing at 6:14 am, followed by the CSMT-Badlapur fast train at 6:24 am. Similarly, on the Harbour Line, the last local train from CSMT to Panvel will leave at 11:30 pm, while the first train to Vashi/Panvel will depart at 6:16 am.

At least 20 long-distance trains will also be affected, as they will be short-terminated at Dadar and Panvel stations. In total, seven blocks will be conducted, including one six-hour block, three three-hour blocks, and three two-hour blocks. The six-hour block is expected to cause significant cancellations, while the others will have a lesser impact.

Originally, the plan was to launch the girders before the monsoon this year. The Carnac Bridge, situated between CSMT and Masjid stations, was dismantled by the railways in November 2022. BMC had aimed to complete the new bridge by March 2025 but now hopes to finish it before the next monsoon.

The assembly of the 70-meter long and 9.5-meter wide girders, weighing around 550 tonnes, is complete. The new bridge will be 70 meters long and 26.5 meters wide, with an estimated cost of Rs 41 crore. The closure of the bridge has significantly increased traffic on alternative routes, forcing motorists to take detours to reach areas like Crawford Market and Kalbadevi.