Alert motormen avert train mishap on Mumbai’s harbour line near CSMT

Sources said a motorman, MV Naik, saw three iron rods lying on the tracks and sent out an alert

Two alert motormen of the Central Railway (CR) averted a possible train mishap between Masjid Bunder and CSMT on the harbour line around 7.30am on Monday.

While the incident did not impact the services, it raised questions on the safety of suburban trains. (FILE)

According to railway sources, a motorman, MV Naik, saw that three iron rods were lying on the tracks and started the yellow flash light, which is used in case of unusual happenings. Anurag Shukla, the motorman of the train concerned which was coming from the opposite direction, halted the CSMT-bound train in time.

While the incident did not impact the services, it raised questions on the safety of suburban trains.

Railway spokesperson said the motormen of both the local trains were rewarded by the central railway’s divisional railway manager SK Jain.

Government Railway Police has registered a case under section 150 of the railway act and section 336 of Indian Penal Code, but denied sabotage angle. “Preliminary inquiry shows that it is not a sabotage, but we are still investigating the case,” said Sanjay Shinde, senior inspector at CSMT police station.

An officer said there was also a possibility that metal scrap thieves might have left the rods on the tracks and fled.

Earlier this year, Mumbai division of Central railway witnessed a few such cases of placing rods on railway tracks at different locations. Such rods could derail the trains; hence railway authorities are very cautious about such incidents.