Commuters walk on Railway tracks as Mumbai local train services face major disruption
New Delhi: Mumbai’s local train services faced major disruption after a fire broke out near Kanjurmarg station at around 10 am, leaving several trains stranded for more than five hours. The incident affected services on the Central Railway network, causing long delays and leaving thousands of commuters struggling to reach their destinations.
The fire reportedly damaged the signalling system between Thane and Vikhroli, disrupting the movement of trains on the route. The situation was further worsened by a technical issue involving an overhead wire between Mulund and Thane.
Commuters travelling to work on Monday faced long waits at stations as both slow and fast local trains were affected in both directions. With services disrupted and signal clearance unavailable, passengers were left waiting for hours without clear information about when normal operations would resume.
Passengers walk along railway tracks
As the disruption continued, several frustrated commuters climbed down onto the railway tracks and began walking towards the next station. The move raised serious safety concerns, as walking along active railway tracks can put passengers at risk.
The disruption affected the daily travel plans of office-goers and other passengers who depend on Mumbai’s suburban railway network. With trains unable to operate normally, stations witnessed queues and overcrowding as commuters waited for services to resume.
Repairs underway on central railway route
Railway authorities began repair work to restore the damaged signalling system. Replacing the affected cables was expected to take around four hours, potentially delaying the return to normal services until late at night.
The signalling failure between Thane and Vikhroli, along with the overhead wire issue between Mulund and Thane, created further challenges for railway operations. The repair work was aimed at restoring train movement and reducing the disruption faced by passengers.
Disruption raises questions after mega block
The latest disruption has also drawn attention because it came just a day after the Central Railway conducted a scheduled mega block for maintenance work.
The fresh technical problems left commuters questioning why such a major breakdown had occurred so soon after the maintenance exercise. For many passengers, the delays meant hours of uncertainty during their daily journey.
Mumbai’s suburban railway network is a crucial part of the city’s transport system, carrying millions of passengers every day. The incident once again highlighted how technical failures can bring daily travel across the city to a standstill.