Rail block at Panvel till October, to hit Harbour line services

MUMBAI: The Central Railway on Sunday announced that Harbour line services will be affected on the CSMT-Panvel route late night and early morning hours till October 2, due to five-hour late rail blocks for creating the dedicated freight corridors - an ambitious project of India Railways.

Two late-night trains and two early-morning trains from CSMT will remain cancelled, while five others will be curtailed. A total of four trains on Down Trans Harbour line from Thane to Panvel and three on Up Trans Harbour line from Panvel to Thane will remain cancelled during the rail blocks, said an official. The last local from CSMT to Panvel will depart at 10.58 pm, a media statement said .

"The construction on the new lines at Panvel station already began on August 18 and will take around 45 days, with the date of completion estimated to be October 2," said CR chief spokesperson Shivraj Manaspure. From August 18, there have been daily 3-4 hours night blocks at Panvel station yard. As a part of the construction of remaining 30% of western freight corridor, two new dedicated freight lines (Up and Down) will be constructed which will pass through Panvel station yard and head towards JNPT.