Heavy rains disrupt public transport, over 60 local train services cancelled

The adverse weather conditions led to the closure of Mumbai airport's runway for 20 minutes, from 10.36 am to 10.55 am, affecting several flights.

Waterlogging on roads further exacerbated the city's transportation woes, with several routes of the BEST buses being diverted. (Express photo by Ganesh Shirsekar)

The public transport system in Mumbai faced severe disruptions on Thursday due to the intense rain across the city. Local train services under both Central and Western Railways were significantly impacted.

The Central Railway had to cancel over 60 local train services, with trains running on an average 30 minutes behind schedule during the afternoon hours. In the evening hour at 6 pm, a rail fracture was reported between Ghatkopar and Vikhroli on the up direction towards CSMT. A CR official said that track safety was assured at 6.20 with trains allowed to run at 30kmph speed.

On Western Railway, while local services remained operational, long-distance trains originating from places like Baroda experienced delays, subsequently affecting the scheduled local services. Some 10-12 trains were cancelled as a result, but not due to rains, said a WR official.

The adverse weather conditions led to the closure of Mumbai airport’s runway for 20 minutes, from 10.36 am to 10.55 am, affecting several flights. A number of airlines had to cancel flights, while others were diverted to Ahmedabad airport due to its larger bay capacity.

“The issue mostly affected incoming flights,” a source mentioned, regarding the disruptions caused by poor visibility and heavy rain.

Waterlogging on roads further exacerbated the city’s transportation woes, with several routes of the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport Undertaking (BEST) buses being diverted. For instance, due to waterlogging, BEST buses were rerouted between Shreyas Cinema and Kurla depot via the Eastern Express Highway, Amar Mahal, and Santacruz Chembur Link Road.

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