Mumbai: daily commuters bore the brunt of major disruptions on the Western Railway on Saturday morning, December 27, as local train services were hit due to ongoing rail infrastructure work between Kandivali and Borivali. Peak-hour travel turned chaotic, with overcrowded platforms, long waiting times and mounting frustration among office-goers and daily wage earners.

From the early morning hours, a heavy rush was witnessed at several stations along the Western Line. Passengers were seen anxiously waiting on platforms as delayed and cancelled trains threw normal schedules out of gear. Many commuters complained that they were running late for work, examinations and other important commitments.

“We are facing huge problems due to train delays during office hours. It has become very difficult to reach the office on time, Several others echoed similar concerns, saying that irregular train timings and sudden cancellations had left them confused and stranded.

Western Railway has announced the cancellation of 629 suburban services between December 27 and December 29, severely affecting thousands who depend on local trains as their primary mode of transport. On Saturday alone, 296 services were cancelled, forcing passengers to pack into the limited trains that were operational. The situation is expected to remain challenging through the weekend.

Adding to commuters’ woes, some local trains originating from Borivali and Andheri are operating only up to Goregaon, leading to forced transfers and further crowding on connecting routes. With platforms 8 and 9 at Borivali station closed until December 29, passengers have also had to deal with congestion at other platforms.

The disruption is due to the final phase of work on the sixth railway line between Bandra Terminus and Borivali. A 30-day traffic block has been imposed from December 20 to January 18, 2026, with intensive work underway on the Kandivali–Borivali stretch.

On Saturday, a major block between 1 am and 7 am was taken to commission an electronic interlocking panel, affecting both fast and slow services. Long-distance passengers were not spared either, as the schedules of several mail and express trains were revised, and some trains skipped halts at Borivali.

Mumbai, Dec 27: Indian equity markets ended the week in a positive terrain, buoyed by expectations of stronger domestic demand, a favourable liquidity outlook and optimism over potential Fed policy easing in 2026, analysts said on Saturday.

The holiday-shortened week opened with a bullish undertone; however, momentum tapered off as the days progressed.

On Friday, Sensex closed at 85,041.45, slipping 367.25 points or 0.43 per cent. Nifty also ended in the red, falling 99.80 points or 0.38 per cent to settle at 26,042.30.

According to market watchers, the year-end lull kept trading largely range-bound, with hopes for a Santa Claus rally diminishing amid the absence of fresh catalysts, limited progress in US–India trade talks, and caution ahead of the upcoming earnings season.

“Sectoral trends were mixed, marked by selective profit booking across most segments, while metals, FMCG, and media stocks offered notable resilience,” said Vinod Nair, Head of Research, Geojit Investments Ltd.

Nifty 50 ended the week at 26,042, continuing to respect its long-term rising channel on the daily chart. The index remains comfortably above the 20-day EMA cluster, preserving the medium-term bullish structure, said analysts, adding that as long as Nifty sustains above the 26,000–25,900 support zone, the overall bias remains positive.

On the domestic front, RBI’s liquidity interventions, such as open market operations and a USD/INR buy–sell swap, helped stabilise the rupee, though persistent FII outflows continued to weigh on sentiment.

Meanwhile, gold advanced on safe-haven demand, while crude prices hovered near multi-year lows, though U.S. steps to tighten pressure on Venezuelan oil shipments could exert upward pressure in the near term

Looking ahead, market sentiment is likely to stay cautious as investors brace for the upcoming earnings season while remaining attuned to global developments and currency movements, said analysts.

Attention will also turn to next week’s data releases, including India’s industrial and manufacturing output figures, manufacturing PMI, and the US FOMC minutes, said Nair.

Mumbai: witnessed a crisp and relatively cool start to Saturday, offering residents a brief break from the city’s usual humidity. Clear skies, mild winds and lower temperatures made the morning pleasant, encouraging many to step outdoors during the early hours. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the minimum temperature was expected to hover around 18°C, while the maximum could touch 33°C, making it one of the more comfortable winter days this season.

However, the seemingly ideal weather masked a persistent environmental concern. A thin haze hung over several parts of the city, signalling continued deterioration in air quality. Data from air quality monitoring platform AQI.in showed Mumbai’s overall Air Quality Index (AQI) at 246 on Saturday morning, placing it firmly in the ‘unhealthy’ category. Such levels pose health risks, particularly for children, senior citizens and people suffering from respiratory ailments.

The sustained pollution, largely due to Mumbai’s ongoing infrastructure boom. Dust and fine particulate matter released from multiple large-scale government projects, including metro corridors, coastal road construction, bridge works and extensive road widening, continue to significantly impact air quality. In addition, numerous private real estate developments across the city add to the pollution burden, especially during winter months when dry conditions allow dust to remain suspended in the air for longer periods.

AQI readings across Mumbai revealed stark contrasts between different areas. Chembur emerged as the most polluted location, recording an alarming AQI of 326, categorised as ‘severe’. At such levels, even healthy individuals may experience breathing discomfort and other health effects. Sion followed closely with an AQI of 308, while Santacruz East recorded 303, both also falling in the ‘severe’ category. Charkop and Colaba reported AQI levels of 293 and 287, respectively, remaining dangerously close to the severe threshold.

Suburban areas fared slightly better, though air quality remained far from satisfactory. Jogeshwari East recorded an AQI of 130, while Govandi and Kandivali East stood at 160 each, all classified under the ‘poor’ category. Pollution levels worsened in other suburbs, with Borivali East registering an AQI of 200 and Malad West 217, both categorised as ‘unhealthy’.

For perspective, AQI values between 0 and 50 are considered ‘good’, 51–100 ‘moderate’, 101–150 ‘poor’, 151–200 ‘unhealthy’, and readings above 200 fall into the ‘hazardous’ range. Despite the pleasant winter weather, Mumbai’s air quality continues to be a pressing concern, underscoring the need for stricter dust-control measures and sustained environmental interventions.