Central Railway has announced further extensions to train cancellations and diversions on the Mumbai-Pune route, with disruptions now set to continue until July 24. This decision comes despite the restoration of two railway lines between Karjat and Lonavala, as repair work on the third line is still in progress following recent landslides.
Ongoing Restoration Efforts
The landslides, triggered by heavy monsoon rainfall on July 6, severely damaged all three railway lines in the Bhor Ghat section between Karjat and Lonavala. Restoration work has been ongoing since then, with railway teams working around the clock to clear debris and stabilize the affected embankments. The challenging terrain and persistent rainfall have complicated these efforts, delaying the full resumption of normal train services.
While the South East Down Line and the Middle Line were successfully restored and operationalized on July 14, allowing for limited train movements, the third line, crucial for full capacity operations, remains under repair. Central Railway has deployed over 1,100 personnel and specialized equipment for the restoration program, which spans the entire 27 km Lonavala-Karjat Ghat corridor.
Impact on Train Services
The continued operational changes will affect numerous long-distance and intercity trains. Several major services, including the CSMT-Chennai Express and CSMT-Hyderabad Express, have been cancelled from July 18 to July 24. Additionally, trains like the Daund-Indore Express and Hadapsar-Jodhpur Express will also remain cancelled during this period. Other services, such as the Dadar-Sainagar Shirdi Express and Dadar-Satara Express, face cancellations on specific dates.
Furthermore, numerous trains will operate on diverted routes through various sections, including Daund–Manmad–Igatpuri–Kalyan and Daund–Manmad–Jalgaon–Paldhi–Surat, among others. Some services will experience short terminations or short originations. For instance, the Hospete–CSMT Express will be short-terminated at Pune from July 17 to July 23, and the Kolhapur–CSMT Express will be short-terminated at Khadki from July 18 to July 24.
Passenger Advisories
Central Railway has advised passengers to check the latest train running status through the National Train Enquiry System (NTES) or contact railway helplines for real-time information. Updates are also being shared on the railway’s official social media channels. Passengers are urged to verify their train status before commencing their journey to avoid inconvenience.
The Chenab Times News Desk