Overview

• Central Railway’s sector-based blueprint to split the suburban network into eight corridors was reportedly approved in principle by the Railway Minister but has not been advanced or included in CR’s submissions to the Bombay High Court.
• Proponents claim corridor operations could enable roughly three‑minute headways and sharply increase services, while former officials and commuters warn of impractical mass transfers and concentrated crowding at hubs like Thane and Kalyan.
• CR will operate a mega block on September 21, diverting fast services between Thane and Kalyan from 10:40 am to 3:40 pm and cancelling Panvel–Vashi and Panvel–Thane Harbour and Trans‑Harbour services during late morning and afternoon windows.
• A separate four‑hour night block is scheduled on September 22 from midnight to 4:00 am between Kharbao and Juichandra for girder launching, with select long‑distance trains regulated or delayed.
• MMRDA/MMMOCL suspended the Chembur–Saat Rasta monorail from September 20 for about two months to induct new MEDHA rakes and install an indigenously developed CBTC system with multiple electronic interlockings, as Metro‑3 targets full opening on September 30.