Transport-harbour, Western Railway safe bets for next 3 days

Harbour line commuters will get trains to CST at intervals of five minutes instead of four minutes during peak morning and evening hours on the first day of the 72-hour block. That too if all goes as per plan, otherwise even if one train is delayed or any failures occur, the system will spin out of control.

The Central Railway, has taken the block for work related to extending Harbour’s platforms to accommodate 12 coaches instead of the current nine coaches, and is readying itself for Friday when trains will run to and from only platform number 1. While this will result in slashing of services by 24 per cent on Friday, officials are afraid that even if one failure occurs, things might go awry. “Basically, we are going to be cutting too close for comfort. Even if one failure occurs or if the overhead wire snaps or pantograph breaks or rail fracture occurs, services will not be able to recover,” said an official on condition of anonymity.

Officials have also asked commuters to be smart on Friday itself and take advantage of the fact that pass and ticket holders will be allowed to travel on Trans-Harbour and Western Railway instead. “For the next three days, anyone with a ticket or pass for CST can take advantage of the fact that they can travel to Thane and then to CST to save themselves the trouble of travelling in overcrowded trains,” the official added.