Central Railway has extended the traffic and power block at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) till September 5, 2026, as redevelopment work continues at Platform Nos. 16 and 17. The extension will also mean that select Mail and Express trains will continue to be short-terminated at Dadar and Thane.
The block at Platform No. 16 is linked to infrastructure and foundation works being carried out by the Rail Land Development Authority (RLDA) as part of the redevelopment of CSMT. Passengers travelling on the affected services have been advised to plan their journeys accordingly.
CSMT redevelopment work affects four trains
Under the extended arrangement, three trains will continue to be short-terminated at Dadar. These include Train No. 12810 Howrah-CSMT Express, Train No. 12112 Amravati-CSMT Express and Train No. 22120 Madgaon-CSMT Tejas Express.
Train No. 12134 Mangaluru-CSMT Express will continue to be short-terminated at Thane until September 5.
Central Railway said the traffic and power blocks are required to carry out essential infrastructure works associated with the redevelopment of the heritage terminal. The railway administration has requested passengers to cooperate and make suitable changes to their travel plans during the period.
Pune Yard gets fourth 60 kg diamond double slip
In a separate infrastructure upgrade, Central Railway’s Pune Division has completed the conversion of its fourth 52 kg Diamond Double Slip (DDS) No. 251/252 into a 60 kg configuration at Pune Yard.
A Diamond Double Slip is a complex track arrangement that allows trains to switch between intersecting tracks in multiple directions. The conversion to 60 kg rails is expected to provide greater strength and durability and help the yard handle heavier loads and increasing traffic requirements.
The conversion work was carried out during a nine-hour traffic and power block on August 23, from 8 am to 5 pm. The block was cleared on schedule at 5 pm.
As part of the work, eight stock rails and eight tongue rails, along with their fittings, were replaced. Two acute crossings, two obtuse crossings, eight approach rails and four lead rails were also renewed.
The project also involved fabrication of four in-situ glued joints and insertion of six prefabricated glued joints. Four switch motors and their roddings were replaced, while 122 manual temporary speed restrictions (TSRs) were completed during the shadow block.
Central Railway said the work involved coordinated efforts by engineering and signalling teams, with 200 permanent-way labourers, 25 signalling and telecommunications staff, five P-Way supervisors and eight S&T supervisors, besides specialised teams and other personnel.
The latest upgrade is expected to strengthen track infrastructure at Pune Yard and improve its reliability and operational efficiency.