Central Railway begins critical e-interlocking upgrade at Vashi; services affected from August 6 to 9 during nighttime blocks.

Mumbai, Wednesday, August 6, 2025:
Commuters on Mumbai’s Harbour Line will face nighttime train disruptions for four days. Central Railway is carrying out vital e-interlocking work at Vashi Junction. This electronic upgrade is part of a broader plan to boost safety and efficiency across the suburban network.

According to Central Railway officials, a special traffic block will be in place from August 6 to August 9. It will affect several suburban services during late-night hours. The block will remain active from 10:45 PM to 3:45 AM on August 6 and 7. On August 8 and 9, it will run from 10:45 PM to 4:35 AM.

The e-interlocking system marks a key step in modernization. It replaces manual signaling and improves train movement at the busy Vashi Junction. Officials expect this upgrade to greatly improve safety, punctuality, and reliability of local train operations on the Harbour Line.

During the block period, officials will short-terminate several Harbour Line trains that end at or pass through Vashi Affected services include the 8:54 PM and 9:16 PM Belapur–CSMT locals, which will end at Vashi and Panvel Road stations instead of proceeding further. Additionally, Up Bandra–CSMT trains will be terminated at Wadala.

Further service changes include the Panvel–Vashi locals at 10:50 PM and 11:32 PM, which will now terminate at Nerul station. Trains from Nerul or Wadala heading toward CSMT will also see modified terminations and timings.

Railway officials have requested passengers to plan their travel accordingly and stay updated through official communication channels, including station announcements and the Central Railway website. Commuters are advised to allow extra travel time and consider alternate routes during the affected hours.

This scheduled upgrade forms part of a larger infrastructure push across the Mumbai suburban rail network. Authorities aim to boost capacity, cut delays, and enhance passenger safety.

Sources