Mumbai local commuters may have to brace for a tough few months ahead as the Western Railway (WR) is preparing to revive a long-pending infrastructure plan that could lead to the suspension of key Harbour Line services between Bandra and Goregaon for at least three months, impacting daily travel for lakhs of passengers.
At the centre of the plan is a railway bridge between Bandra and Khar, which currently carries local trains. As reported by HT earlier, the bridge is set to be demolished and rebuilt to make way for two additional railway lines – the much-delayed fifth and sixth lines on the Santacruz–Mumbai Central corridor.
These new tracks are meant to separate suburban local trains from long-distance services, a move railway officials say will significantly improve punctuality and overall operations on the Western Railway network.
Which trains will be affected
The biggest impact will be on the Harbour Line section between Bandra and Goregaon. The Western Railway currently runs 88 local services between Goregaon and CSMT and 106 services between Bandra and CSMT on this route. Together, these trains cater to an estimated 3–4 lakh commuters every day.
During the shutdown, trains on the Goregaon–CSMT stretch will be sharply reduced, with most services expected to terminate at Bandra. To manage the load, WR plans to augment services on the Bandra–CSMT section.
When will the shutdown begin
Railway officials say a final date for the bridge demolition has not yet been decided.
“We have not yet fixed on a date to demolish the bridge and are still working out details of the plan,” a Western Railway official said, adding, “We are trying to minimise inconvenience for commuters.”
What to expect
If implemented, the three-month shutdown is likely to mean longer travel times, overcrowding on alternative routes, and increased dependence on connecting trains and road transport, especially for daily office-goers travelling from the western suburbs.
Railway authorities say detailed traffic blocks and alternate arrangements will be announced once the schedule is finalised.
Despite the short-term disruption, officials maintain that the payoff will be substantial. Once the fifth and sixth lines are completed, local train services between Churchgate and Borivali, as well as services to CSMT, are expected to become smoother and more frequent.
Train numbers on the busy Churchgate–Borivali–Virar corridor are also set to rise.
One of the biggest hurdles remains land acquisition. A legal dispute over 88.573 sq metres of land belonging to Shakti Mill at Mahalaxmi–Lower Parel has stalled expansion work. In addition, the rehabilitation of 155 project-affected families from Garib Nagar in Bandra East is still pending with the state government.
(With inputs from Shashank Rao)