Commuters furious after Dahanu-Panvel train accidentally skips station near Mumbai | Mumbai news - Hindustan Times
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Commuters furious after Dahanu-Panvel train accidentally skips station near Mumbai

Hindustan Times | ByRam Parmar, Mumbai
Jan 08, 2018 06:31 PM IST

Motorman fails to stop train at Umroli station on Monday morning; WR replaces motorman at Vasai station, initiates inquiry

Around 100 commuters waiting at Umroli station in Palghar were shocked to see the 69164 Up Dahanu-Panvel Multiple Electric Moving Unit (MEMU) whiz past their station around 6am on Monday without making its scheduled halt.

Around 100 commuters were waiting at Umroli station for the train when it sped past.(HT File Photo)
Around 100 commuters were waiting at Umroli station for the train when it sped past.(HT File Photo)

Locals who regularly commute by this train include many school- and college-going students, office-goers and vegetable vendors.

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The train left Dahanu at 5.30am and missed Umroli at 5.55am, where it has a scheduled one-minute halt.

Passengers inside the train pulled the alarm chain when they realised that the train had not stopped, which forced it to halt a few metres ahead of Umroli station. Train guard Bipin Patel also pulled the hand brake in his cabin, but by then the train had already crossed the platform, a Western Railway (WR) official said, requesting anonymity. The train could not go back and resumed its onward journey.

Following this, irate commuters at Umroli forcibly held back the next train, a Dahanu-Andheri local, for five minutes instead of its usual one minute.

Members of the Dahanu Vaitarna Pravasi Sevabhavi Sanstha lodge a complaint with the station manager at Palghar station.
Members of the Dahanu Vaitarna Pravasi Sevabhavi Sanstha lodge a complaint with the station manager at Palghar station.

Umroli is an unmanned station, meaning that it has no WR staff. It has only a ticket vendor, appointed through a private contractor. There is no communication system to contact Umroli, Palghar and Boisar stations.

The motorman, Prashant Jena, was ordered off the train at Vasai station, and replaced by another motorman, after which the train proceeded to Panvel.

“We have ordered an inquiry into the incident,” said Ravinder Bhakar, chief public relations officer, WR. “Action against the motorman, such as suspension, will be taken only after the inquiry is completed.”

Sources said Jena may have been over-confident and lost judgement while approaching Umroli station, because of which he was unable to halt the train at the station.

Prathamesh Prabhutendolkar, an activist from the Dahanu Vaitarna Pravasi Sevabhavi Sanstha (DVPSS), a commuters’ group, said the motorman failed to report the incident at the next station. The DVPSS has since lodged a complaint at Palghar station.

“The motorman is experienced and it was sheer negligence that led to the train skipping Umroli station. It has cost office-goers a day’s pay, students have had to miss schools and colleges, thanks to the glitch,” Prabhutendolkar said. “We demand an inquiry into the incident.”

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