Track fracture delays Mumbai’s Central Railway services by 40 minutes

Railway officials confirmed that train services resumed immediately after the incident was reported.

A major tragedy was averted after Bhaghirath, an on duty officer alerted the signal maintenance department about the rail fracture between Ambernath and Badlapur railway station on Friday morning.

The track facture between Ambernath and Badlapur station on Friday morning. ((Rishikesh Choudhary/HT))

The local services between Karjat and Ambernath were disrupted during peak hours, around 7.30am.

Commuters, who took the 7am Karjat-CST local walked on tracks as the train was halted due to the fracture. “The track had developed a major crack. It would have led to derailment of the local train had the fracture not been reported on time,” said 40-year-old, Dinesh Kumar, a commuter who was in the Karjat-CST local train.

Railway officials confirmed that train services resumed immediately after the incident was reported.

“The fracture was repaired by 8.10 am. Trains running between Karjat and Ambernath railway stations were delayed by 20 minutes till afternoon,” said a railway officer from Ambernath.

Last week, a rail fracture was reported at Kasara, but immediate action was taken as Soma Thorad, a railway employee, informed the motorman of LT express.

“The railway is always busy carrying out repair work by announcing mega blocks. They should justify to the commuters as to why there are so many incidents reported, when they are carrying out repair works regularly,” said Shyam Ubale, general secretary of Kalyan-Karjat-Kasara railway passenger association.