The Kasara traffic block will suspend suburban train services between Asangaon and Kasara during scheduled periods from October 10 to October 13, while mail and express trains will be regulated or delayed as Central Railway carries out non-interlocking work for the Asangaon-Kasara third line project and yard extension.
Central Railway is operating a 12-day special traffic and power block at Kasara from October 7 to October 18. The work is intended to support the segregation of mail, express and suburban trains and increase capacity on the corridor. The railway has announced the block timings for October 10 to October 13, with further details for the remaining days to be issued later.
The block will run for six hours from 3.35pm to 9.35pm on October 10. On October 11, the work will continue for seven hours from 11.30am to 6.30pm. The scheduled block duration is five hours, from 3.35pm to 8.35pm, on both October 12 and October 13, according to a senior Central Railway officer quoted in the announcement.
During these periods, suburban services will remain suspended between Asangaon and Kasara. Four CSMT-Kasara locals departing from Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus at 1.10pm, 2.17pm, 2.46pm and 4.50pm will short-terminate at Asangaon on October 10, October 12 and October 13. On October 11, three CSMT-Kasara locals departing at 1.10pm, 2.17pm and 2.46pm will short-terminate at Asangaon.
The work will also affect longer-distance train operations. A total of 24 up trains will be regulated short of Igatpuri and delayed by between 35 and 40 minutes across the block days. Another 28 down trains are expected to face delays of between 20 and 25 minutes.
The disruption is linked to the Asangaon-Kasara third line project, which is being implemented alongside yard extension and non-interlocking works at Kasara. Non-interlocking work involves integrating changes to track, signalling and yard operations before the railway can bring the modified layout into service. The stated objective is to separate different categories of train movement and support additional line capacity.
The service changes will require commuters travelling towards Kasara to plan for a transfer or a revised journey from Asangaon during the announced block periods. Central Railway has not yet released the detailed timetable for train operations after October 13, and the railway is expected to announce those arrangements separately.
The Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation has made bus arrangements to support commuters affected by the suspension. Bus services between Nashik and Kasara will be extended up to Asangaon, while additional buses will be made available as required, the Central Railway officer said. The railway has not announced the full schedule of these additional bus services in the supplied information.
The traffic and power blocks are scheduled to continue until October 18 as part of the wider construction and yard-extension programme. Details of the train restrictions and operating arrangements for the period after October 13 are expected to be announced later.
