Western Railway Undertakes First-Ever Mechanised Ballast Cleaning On Suburban Platform Track At Dadar Station

Mumbai's Western Railway made history by performing the first-ever mechanized ballast cleaning on suburban platform tracks at Dadar station. This marks a significant advancement in preserving the safety and reliability of Mumbai's bustling local train network, which sees more than 1,450 services daily. Ballast deterioration and poor drainage have long been major challenges for Mumbai's suburban railway, with continuous train movement and heavy loads causing ballast to become compacted and contaminated.

This leads to reduced drainage capacity and weakened track foundations. At certain points in the Churchgate–Virar section, the ballast cushion was as thin as 0–50 mm, well below the required 300 mm. To tackle this issue, the railway introduced a modified Ballast Cleaning Machine (BCM-777) at Dadar platform 3. The machine removed fouled ballast, muck, and undersized stones, after which clean ballast was replenished.

A muck disposal unit was attached to the machine due to limited disposal space. The operation required significant preparations, including the removal of steel track divider panels, dismantling of concrete foundations, and rerouting of signaling, power, and utility cables. The track was slewed away from the platform wall, and fire breaks were ignited at a nearby wooden warehouse.

Following the cleaning, the track was restored using a Tamping Machine and Dynamic Track Stabiliser (DGS), and its geometry and platform clearances were checked before reopening for train operations. This pioneering effort highlights the railway's commitment to maintaining reliable suburban services, demonstrating how innovative solutions can overcome long-standing maintenance challenges.