Special trains, buses to ply during 10-hour block at Diva

You will not be able to take the regular train from Diva railway station today.

The Central Railway’s 10-hour mega block at Diva station will hit commuters but not many will be affected as it is a Sunday. Special trains will run during the mega block but they will be irregular.

The mega block has been planned to speed up the platform work at Diva station so that fast trains can halt from November. The mega block from 8.30am to 6.30pm is a series of four blocks over the next three weekends.

Narendra Patil, chief public relations officer (Central Railway), said: “As there is no road connect from Diva to Thane and other places, people can avail of the special buses.”Around 10 buses will ply between Mumbra, Thane, Diva and Thakurli for commuters on Sunday.

Around eight out-station trains will be diverted during the mega block.Abhijeet Ragji, 38, a resident of Agasan Diva said: “We are used to mega blocks on Sundays for maintenance of the track. Although the block is for 10 hours on Sunday, we hope that this would benefit us in the long run.”

The Diva railway station sees around 75,000 commuters every day. The Diva residents have for long been demanding for fast trains to halt at Diva railway station. They have been demanding more services from the station as the population has multiplied over the years. Last year, they had staged a massive protest against inadequate services.

As Diva does not have a road link to major cities, residents have to depend on trains. “We hope after the fast trains halt at Diva station, commuters can travel comfortably,” said Sameer Raje, 29, a Diva resident.

Carnatic music lovers will be in for a treat as city-based cultural organisation, Vashi Fine Arts Society (VFAS) will be organising two musical events in September and October.

While the first concert by Brinda Manickavasakan from Chennai will be held on September 24, the second concert by Shobha Ramesh from Bangalore will be held on October 6.

The concerts will be held at Jhulelal Mandir Hall at sector 9A. Both the artistes will be performing for the first time in the city.

Brinda Manickavasakan is a performing vocalist in Carnatic music and has been performing for the past 15 years, since the age of 10.

Shobha Ramesh is the first person from Mumabi to win All India Radio National Contest in Carnatic section. “We are expecting audience to come in large numbers. The idea behind organising such concerts is to engage people in our cultural background and also give a platform to such talents to reach a wider audience,” said Kannan Iyer, treasury of VFAS.