Central Railway has undertaken an extensive mega block for a 63-hour period from Friday to Sunday. This block aims to facilitate platform widening at Thane railway station and platform extension at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT).

During this period, 72 long-distance mail-express trains and 930 suburban trains were be cancelled. This significant disruption is necessary to carry out the required construction and extension works safely and efficiently.

The primary objective of this mega block is to widen platforms 5 and 6 at Thane railway station and extend platforms 10 and 11 at CSMT. These enhancements are crucial to handle the increasing passenger traffic and improve overall station infrastructure.

Central Railway has appealed to passengers to travel only if absolutely necessary during the mega block period. They have also requested additional bus services from the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) and Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) to mitigate the inconvenience caused to commuters.

In response to the railway's request, BEST has announced it will run 254 extra bus services on nine routes, deploying 43 additional buses. This measure aims to provide alternative transportation options for affected passengers.

Several mail-express and suburban trains will be short-terminated and short-originated from various stations such as Wadala, Dadar, Thane, Pune, Panvel, and Nashik. This adjustment helps manage train operations during the construction activities.

On the first day of the mega block, the impact on suburban services will be minimal, primarily affecting long-distance trains and 161 suburban services. However, the subsequent days will see more significant disruptions.

On Saturday and Sunday, the number of cancelled suburban services will increase dramatically, with 534 services cancelled on Saturday and 235 on Sunday. This is due to the intensive construction work required for the platform extensions.

Across the three days, Central Railway cancelled 930 suburban train services and short-terminate or short-originate 444 suburban services. These adjustments are necessary to facilitate the construction work without compromising passenger safety.

Central Railway had requested that establishments allow their staff to work from home or use alternative means of commuting during the mega block. This advisory aims to reduce the number of passengers and ease the strain on the transportation network.

On the first day of the block, over 750 pre-cast reinforced concrete (RCC) blocks were unloaded and installed at Thane station. This process involves slewing and shifting the railway lines to accommodate the new platform structures, requiring extensive planning and coordination.