Mumbai: The commuters need to brace for a new Mumbai local train schedule at Central Railway (CR) as the revised timetable comes into effect from midnight of October 5. The new suburban train schedule, aligning them with updated schedules for Mail and Express trains, has sparked a new wave of frustration and confusion, specially among the late-night commenters. The CR meanwhile, has issued a revised schedule of extension of suburban trains originating/termination at Dadar up to Parel.

The list also consists extension of trains originating/terminating at CSMT.

The CR has also informed the commuters that the new suburban timetable for Main Line with revised details will be available at their official website http://cr.indianrailways.gov.in.

Approximately 86 suburban trains at CR will run as per the new timetable now. In the revised timetable, there is a significant restructuring with 24 slow trains originating or terminating at Dadar permanently shifted to Parel. Additionally, six trains originating or terminating at Thane have been extended to Kalyan. To alleviate congestion at CSMT, the new Platform 11 at Dadar will be utilized, transferring 11 pairs of fast services from CSMT to Dadar.

However, more than the restructuring, it is the change in the last Karjat and Kasara local from Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) that has angered the commuters. Notably, the last train from CSMT to Karjat will depart 12 minutes earlier at 12:12 am and the last train to Kasara will leave CSMT six minutes earlier at 12:08 am from October 5 onwards.

“Due to congestion, especially during rush hours, many trains are forced to wait at the outer signal at CSMT. With 254 fast trains originating and terminating at CSMT as of now, the platform shortages frequently result in delays. To alleviate this issue, a planned shift of 11 pairs of fast trains from CSMT to Dadar is expected to enhance operational efficiency and reduce wait times at CSMT,” a CR official said.

The decision to change the suburban train schedule at CR aims to minimize overcrowding at CSMT and improve the passenger experience at Dadar, where boarding trains during peak hours has become increasingly challenging. 

Eknath Shinde-led Maharashtra government has received a notice from a Switzerland-based company for a bill amounting to Rs 1.58 crore in connection with the Chief Minister and his team’s stay during their visit to the World Economic Forum in Davos earlier this January.

The notice, dated August 28, has been sent by a contractor identified as SKAAH GmbH, which alleged that the state-run Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) has not paid Rs 1.58 crore dues. The summit was held from January 15-19. While the MIDC has paid over Rs 3.75 crore of the total bill, Rs 1.58 crore are the pending dues. Besides MIDC, the notice is addressed to the CM’s office, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, and the World Economic Forum, among others.

In response to the notice, MIDC CEO P Velrasu told Indian Express that he was not aware of the notice but would look into the issue.

The issue has also turned into a political slugfest with the Opposition MLAs, including Aaditya Thackeray alleging that the state government overspent on the trip. In response, Maharashtra Minister Uday Samant defended the government saying, “We have not overspent… Our legal team will reply to this notice and see what the issue is.”

The Opposition also said that the issue puts a dent in Maharashtra’s reputation and sends a wrong message to investors.”

The notice also warns of a lawsuit if MIDC fails to clear “the total outstanding amount of Rs 1,58,64,625.90 along with interest at 18 per cent per annum.” It also said that it provided services to more than the designated number of individuals and accommodated all their necessary demands.

The company also said that the issue was impacting the international relations between “India and Switzerland.”

Mumbai: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be in Mumbai later in the day today (October 5) to inaugurate Phase 1 of the highly anticipated underground Metro 3 line (BKC-JVLR Aarey). Apart from Phase 1 of Metro 3, Modi will also unveil multiple development projects worth over Rs 56,000 crore across the state. Among the infrastructure projects the prime minister will launch is the Rs 12,220-crore Thane internal metro, which will have 20 elevated stations and two underground stations across a 29-km route.

The Prime Minister began his visit in Washim, where he inaugurated the Banjara Virasat Museum, celebrating the rich heritage of the Banjara community.

BJP’s Thrust On Infrastructure Development

In the recent months running up to the elections, Modi has inaugurated several long pending infrastructure projects in Mumbai and Maharashtra, including the coastal road and Atal Setu. This is in line with the BJP’s thrust on infrastructure development which will also be used as part of their election strategy in the state elections.

“The BJP has always been big on infrastructure development. The blueprint for several large-scale infrastructure projects in the state was laid down during the Devendra Fadnavis government in 2014,” said a senior BJP leader.

During his tenure as CM, Fadnavis set a blueprint for a cohesive infrastructure strategy that sought to add several metro lines, construct highways that will help in his vision of equitable development. Fadnavis’ tenure marked the approval and initiation of some of the state’s most ambitious infrastructure projects, including the 701-kilometer Mumbai-Nagpur Expressway, or Samruddhi Mahamarg, which has already begun to transform travel between key industrial hubs.

Today’s inauguration of Metro 3 adds to the growing list of projects launched under his leadership, which also includes Metro Lines 2A, 7, and 4, along with the introduction of waterways and smart traffic management systems. Metro 3 is expected to drastically improve connectivity in Mumbai, one of India’s most congested urban centers.

Prime Minister Modi’s recent visits to Maharashtra have further highlighted the government’s focus on infrastructure development. Just months ago, he inaugurated several projects worth over Rs 29,400 crore, including the Thane-Borivali Twin Tunnel Project and the Goregaon-Mulund Link Road, both of which were conceptualized during Fadnavis’s tenure. These efforts aim to not only reduce congestion but also ensure Mumbai’s future growth is sustainable.

Fadnavis, known for his hands-on approach, set up a dedicated war room to monitor the progress of infrastructure projects, working closely with agencies like the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) and Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC). This helped streamline project execution and bypass bureaucratic delays, ensuring timely completion.