Mumbai local train services hit as bamboo structure falls on overhead wire; commuters face hardships

Mumbai: Local train services on the Main Line of the Mumbai suburban network were disrupted after a bamboo structure fell on an overhead wire between Sion and Matunga stations on Wednesday morning, the Central Railway officials said.

As a result, the fast local train services remained held up between Sion and Matunga stations for almost an hour, causing hardships for office-goers and others.

Due to the delay, many passengers chose to get off the stationary local trains and walk along the tracks, risking their lives, a commuter and train activist said.

Central Railway's chief public relations officer Swapnil Nila said, "A bamboo structure erected around a building adjacent to the railway line fell down on the UP fast (Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus-bound) line between Sion and Matunga stations at around 7.25 am." "Due to the incident, the fast local train services on the Main line were held up as they had to switch off the power supply to the overhead wire for removing the bamboo fallen on it. Services on this line were restored at 8.20 am," he said.

Local trains are considered lifelines of Mumbai. More than 70 lakh commuters use the services operated by the Central Railway and the Western Railway.

The local trains operated by the Central Railway ferry about 35 lakh suburban commuters everyday through 1,810 suburban services on four corridors namely the Main line, the Harbour line, the Trans-Harbour line and the Belapur-Uran line.