Versova-Andheri-Ghatkopar Metro services disrupted due to tech glitch

Metro services on Versova-Andheri-Ghatkopar line disrupted for 30 mins during rush hour, causing inconvenience to commuters

Mumbai: Train services on the Versova – Andheri – Ghatkopar metro line were disrupted on Thursday morning during rush hour for almost 30 minutes, causing inconvenience to hundreds of commuters taking the connecting metro to the eastern and western, leading to overcrowding.

Navi Mumbai, India - Nov. 17, 2023:Commuters board Metro rail from Belapur Metro Station, after Line no. 1 from Belapur to Pendhar was opened for public at CBD Belapur in Navi Mumbai, India, on Friday, November 17, 2023. (Photo by Bachchan Kumar/ HT PHOTO) (HT PHOTO)

The issue was reported from 10.05am to 10.35am during which period the metro trains on both Versova and Ghatkopar ends were affected as the services had stalled. Commuters, who took to social media to raise their grouse, said they waited 15-20 minutes only to enter the metro premises.

Officials from Mumbai Metro One Private Ltd (MMOPL), which operates 398 trips every day, and ferries almost 3.5-4 lakh commuters, said metro services were running with delayed intervals though they did not specify the location or the nature of technical failure. “There was a technical fault around 10:05 am to 10:35 am. Whenever there is a delay, it impacts all stations,” said an official from MMOPL.

Commuters said the problem allegedly occurred near Versova station, where two metro trains were standing close to each other on the same track.

Central Railway (CR) officials also confirmed that long queues spilt over the 12-meter-wide foot-over bridge (FOB) at Ghatkopar. “This caused problems for faster clearance of rail commuters as the crowd coming from rail platforms were blocked by this queue to enter metro premises,” said a CR official.

At Ghatkopar station, the situation worsened despite the proposed works to create more space here. There is a ₹130 crore plan for the revamp of Ghatkopar station, which witnesses a daily footfall of nearly 3.5 lakh passengers. It includes a new FOB and an elevated deck on the east side to alleviate congestion.

CR disruption

The trains on Central Railway were also affected owing to a disruption in Kalyan at 12.35 pm, which affected trains going towards CSMT and Karjat/Kasara on the Fast lines and 5th line. CR had to divert trains, which were running late by 30-40 mins in the afternoon, leading to rush in trains.

According to officials, local train services on the Central line were affected after the pantograph (an apparatus mounted on the roof of the train that powers it through an overhead wire) of an EMU suburban local train got entangled with an overhead wire near Kalyan railway station. This happened over a crossover where two rail lines meet, and trains can switch lines.

“The fast local train services were affected on both down and up line while slow trains were running normally. The 5th line was also affected by this. We diverted the trains on the slow line,” said a CR official.

Two local trains were halted due to the glitch, resulting in passengers running on foot on railway tracks to reach the nearest railway station to board another train. It took almost an hour to rectify the entangled pantograph and get the train running. “The delay was seen even in the evening hours which escalated the problem as their heavy crowds,” said Umesh Patil, a resident of Kalyan and member of the railway passenger association.