"Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus has announced a temporary 85-day closure of platforms 16 and 17 for comprehensive infrastructure upgrades."

Operations of trains from platforms 16 and 17 at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) will remain suspended for 85 days from February 1 to April 26 due to redevelopment-related traffic and power blocks, Central Railway said recently.

The blocks are being undertaken to facilitate foundation and allied works on the two platforms as part of the CSMT redevelopment project being executed by the Rail Land Development Authority (RLDA). The platforms will be restored for traffic operations only after completion of the works, officials said.

As a result, several long-distance trains terminating at CSMT will be short-terminated until further notice. Trains to be short-terminated at Dadar include the Amravati–CSMT Express (12112), Ballarshah–CSMT Nandigram Express (11002), Howrah–CSMT Express (12810), Bhubaneswar–CSMT Konark Express (11020), Bidar–CSMT Express (22144), Latur–CSMT Express (22108) and the Madgaon–CSMT Tejas Express (22120). The Mangaluru–CSMT Express (12134) will be short-terminated at Thane.

Railway officials said the blocks were necessary to facilitate infrastructure development and advised passengers to plan their journeys accordingly during the period of restricted operations.

The redevelopment of CSMT is being executed by Ahluwalia Contracts Limited, with the project plan approved by Central Railway on December 19, 2022. The project is being undertaken at an estimated cost of ₹2,450 crore.

The redevelopment covers a total area of 461,534 square metres, including 279,507 square metres of new construction, 130,912 square metres earmarked for renovation, 37,703 square metres of open areas adjacent to the terminus and an additional 13,412 square metres for various constructions.

Passenger amenities planned under the project include dedicated buildings for passenger facilities and parcel services, decks connecting mail and express trains with suburban services, footbridges and skywalks. Open spaces near the main heritage building will be reserved exclusively for passengers to ensure smooth crowd management, while a perimeter wall is being constructed to prevent unauthorised entry.