Their passenger train delayed,commuters stop goods train

Commuters of the Pandharpur passenger train refused to allow a goods train to pass at Badlapur on Monday morning,bringing the rail traffic to a halt for over 25 minutes. This led to the delay in the suburban train services.

According to V A Malegaonkar,chief spokesperson for Central Railway,the Pandharpur passenger train was to reach Kalyan by 2.30 am reached near Badlapur by 6.40 am. Just metres away from the Badlapur station,the train was made to halt near a loop line to make way for a goods train carrying cement. The goods train,which was behind the Pandharpur train,was allowed to pass first. This enraged the passengers as the Pandharpur train was already running late by over four hours.

The angry passengers resorted to rail roko.

“There was a goods train behind the Pandharpur passenger train. The goods train was to terminate at Kalyan and the loop lines at Badlapur and Ambernath couldn’t have accommodated the goods train. More importantly,there were two suburban local trains lined up behind it and it would not have been possible to delay them as well. This would have disturbed the suburban schedule,” said Malegaonkar.

Had the train been delayed,the Sinhagad Express which was behind it would also have been delayed.

“The traffic was restored by 7.15 am. The situation calmed down after the train was given a green signal.”