Mumbai: Mumbai’s daily commuters on the Western Railway (WR) line are facing weeks of severe travel disruption due to an ongoing major traffic block, forcing railway authorities to seek emergency assistance
from the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) undertaking.
New corridor for long-distance trains to reduce future congestion
However, according to WR officials, once the block is over, a separate corridor for long-distance trains between Bandra Terminus and Borivali will become available. This is expected to reduce congestion on the fast local lines between Khar and Borivali.
Meanwhile ia an official communication to the depot managers of BEST’s Gorai and Magathane depots in Borivali, Western Railway has requested the operation of additional bus services on the Borivali–Churchgate and Borivali–Virar corridors to ease passenger inconvenience during the prolonged block period.
The large-scale block began on the night of December 20/21, 2025, and will continue until January 18, 2026. Railway officials have cautioned BEST that suburban services on the Western line will remain significantly affected throughout this duration.
Critical phase expected between December 26 and December 30
The situation is expected to deteriorate further between December 26 and December 30, when the block will reach its most critical phase. During these five days, nearly 350 local train services are slated for complete cancellation every day, while around 150 additional services will be partially cancelled. This is likely to place enormous pressure on Mumbai’s already overstretched suburban rail network.
“This magnitude of cancellations will cause serious hardship to daily commuters, particularly during peak hours,” the railway said in its letter to BEST, urging full cooperation in deploying additional bus services in the interest of passenger convenience.
Overcrowding Already Evident
The impact of the cancellations is already visible across the network. Despite requests for extra bus services and special crowd-management measures, commuters reported extreme overcrowding on trains and platforms, especially on Mondays.
“Some Borivali locals were cancelled at Churchgate. The 5.48 pm Borivali slow was manageable initially, but by the time it reached Dadar, it became completely unmanageable. The cancellation of fast trains is the main reason passengers are suffering,” said a regular commuter.
Another commuter said the evening rush hour has worsened considerably due to the daily cancellation of multiple suburban services, adding that even morning peak hours are now marked by heavy congestion both on platforms and inside trains.
Emergency Arrangements at Stations
In response, Western Railway has set up help desks at key stations such as Virar and Borivali and deployed additional staff for crowd control and passenger assistance.
Railway sources said that an average of 70 to 80 suburban services are expected to remain cancelled daily for nearly the next four weeks. As the block enters its most intense phase, commuters fear that without a substantial increase in road-based transport options, daily travel might be difficult.
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