Mumbai’s lifeline hit: Trains cancelled, commuters stranded for hours

The Central Railway (CR) cancelled 18 outstation trains, the Western Railway (WR) cancelled 14 outstation trains and diverted seven of them, to avoid any severe tragedy due to rain water on tracks.

Heavy rainfall from Saturday evening till Sunday afternoon in Mumbai threw outstation and local train services in the city off gear.

Mumbai railway system affected due to heavy rainfall. (Kunal Patil/HT Photo)

On Sunday and Monday, while the Central Railway (CR) cancelled 18 outstation trains, the Western Railway (WR) cancelled 14 outstation trains and diverted seven of them. Around 7,000 passengers in 12 outstation trains were stranded at different locations on the Mumbai-Pune and Mumbai-Goa railway route.

The Mumbai-Pune railway route was disrupted after boulders fell between Thakurwadi and Monkey Hill railway station at 11.27pm on Saturday. Outstation trains between Mumbai and Goa were impacted after landslide was reported between Jite and Apta railway stations at 6.35am on Sunday. While outstation trains heading towards and from Amravati, Manmad, Bhusaval, Pune, Kolhapur and Allahabad were cancelled, three trains operating on CR were diverted.

The Railways provided food and medical assistance to the stranded passengers. “The passengers were provided with breakfast inside the outstation trains,” said Sunil Udasi, chief public relation officer, CR.

Local train services between Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) and Thane railway stations and services on the main harbour line between CSMT and Panvel were suspended for more than 12 hours.

The CR suspended train services on its mainline between CSMT and Kalyan at 7.40am on Sunday morning after waterlogging was reported on Sion, Kurla, Vidyavihar, Kanjurmarg and Thane railway tracks. A total of 70 local train services were cancelled on the WR and 100 train services were delayed after waterlogging was reported between Vasai and Virar railway station. Meanwhile, the state government operated 79 special buses from Shahpur, Kalyan, Khardi, Vasind, Kasara and Thane railway stations.

Meanwhile, heavy rainfall since Saturday night led to waterlogging on the tracks at Thane, Kalyan, Ambernath and Badlpaur. Local trains from Thane to Karjat/Kasara were suspended on Sunday morning.

“Stones and soil from under the tracks were washed away at Vangani, Shelu, Ambernath and Badlapur. We’re repairing the tracks. Till then, local services beyond Kalyan will remain suspended,” said a senior CR official.