Train commuters on the Central Railway were inconvenienced on Tuesday when services on both the main and harbour lines were disrupted during the morning rush hours. While a rail fracture was detected near Chunabhatti station on the harbour line, the main line was affected on account of commuters who staged a rail roko at Asangaon station to protest the delay in services. Commuters complained against the delay and overcrowding in trains due to the disruption. Stations including Kalyan, Panvel, Vashi, Mankhurd and Thane witnessed dense crowds. Harbour line services were delayed by at least 20 minutes, after south-bound trains stopped between Chunabhatti and GTB Nagar stations for around 15 minutes after a rail fracture was detected on a track at 8.25am. The Government Railway Police control room said services resumed around 8.55am, but trains were running at restricted speed. “Rail fracture at km 12/18 on the up direction on harbour line was reported at 8.30 am and was attended at 8.53 am. A detailed testing for the same was carried out recently and there was no flaw,” S K Jain, the Divisional Railway Manager, Central Railway, said “Due to unauthorised water pipe connections crossing the tracks to the nearby hutments, there has been continuous seepage of water on to the tracks, due to which the packing of the track isn’t retained. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation has already been approached for shifting these unauthorised water pipe connections,” Jain added. Services on the main line were disrupted after angry commuters at Asangaon station, on the Kalyan-Kasara section, held a rail roko and blocked south-bound trains. Commuters allegedly got upset when a long-distance train got the green signal during the rush hour instead of the train to CSMT. Jitendra Vishe from the Kalyan-Kasara Railway Passenger Association said: “The problem arose when Rajyarani Express was given preference over a local train heading to CSMT. The local arrived on schedule, but left Asangaon station 17 minutes late. Instead of leaving at 8.30am, it left only at 8.47am. This is a regular issue and we wanted to raise our voice against it.” A female commuter, Deepa Sonawane, 31, was injured when she fell off an overcrowded train after train services resumed at Asangaon station. She was rushed to Sion hospital for treatment. Services resumed close to 25 minutes later, after the police managed to clear around 100 protesting passengers from the tracks.” “We have registered an offence and are identifying those who staged the demonstration. They will be booked under Sections 143,145 and 149 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) for crowding in an unlawful manner and section 174 of the Railways Act for obstructing the train service,” said Samadhan Pawar, Deputy Commissioner of Police, GRP, Central Railway. Only on Monday afternoon, train services on CR had been hit following a technical snag in the signalling system at Thakurli station. mumbai.newsline @expressindia.com
