Technical snag disrupts Mumbai metro on Versova-Ghatkopar route for 30 minutes

Passengers complained that they were neither informed about the reason behind the disruption nor when services would resume

Mumbai: Services on the Versova-Ghatkopar metro corridor, or Metro Line 1, were suspended for more than 30 minutes during the peak hours on Monday evening, inconveniencing passengers and leading to overcrowding at stations. A technical snag in one of the trains caused the disruption and several trips on both the up and down lines had to be cancelled to address the situation, said officials from Mumbai Metro One Private Limited (MMOPL).

The affected rake was towed away by another train

Passengers complained that they were neither informed about the reason behind the disruption nor when services would resume.

“Absolutely irresponsible and pathetic service…atleast announce the reason for delay..it’s been 30 mins you have stopped the metro,” Sejal, a passenger stranded at Jagruti Nagar metro station, posted on social media platform X.

The Reliance Infrastructure-led MMOPL, which operates the 11.4-km Versova-Ghatkopar route, intimated passengers about a delay in services at 5.32pm.

“Services are delayed due to a technical fault. We regret the inconvenience caused and appreciate your support while efforts are on to regularise services,” the operator said in a post on X.

Ten minutes later, MMOPL posted another message saying services would resume soon. But no trains plied on the route for another 20 minutes, passengers said.

“Train number 13 developed a snag around 5pm, while it was at Andheri metro station. So another train was sent to tow the affected rake to the depot,” an official told HT. The entire operation took about 30 minutes, the official said.

Monday’s disruption was the fifth such instance in the past six months. Services on the route were disrupted on September 23 and September 3 due to door malfunction, on July 7 due to issues with the overhead equipment, and June 24 due to plastic getting entangled with the overhead equipment.

Responding to commuter complaints about overcrowding at metro stations and frequent disruptions, MMOPL had, in July, said it would procure new rakes with additional coaches.

“As a long-term solution, we have submitted a plan to our lenders – National Asset Reconstruction Construction Company Limited through India Debt Resolution Company Limited – for procurement of additional coaches,” MMOPL had said in a statement.

All 16 rakes operational on the route connecting the eastern and western suburbs have four coaches each. The interval between trains is 3 minutes 20 seconds during peak hours, and each rake ferries around 1,800 passengers, officials said.