Overhead wire snaps,services hit for 4 hours

While Union Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee was presenting her budget in Parliament on Wednesday morning,the train services between Pune and Mumbai as well as in suburban areas were disrupted for nearly four hours following the snapping of a railway overhead wire in Chinchwad area. The rail services were restored by 11 am.

Several trains,including the Deccan Queen and Pragati Express,ran late and they had to be stopped at Shivajinagar railway station for some time. Those trains coming from Mumbai,including Indrayani,Intercity and Deccan Express,had to be stopped at Chinchwad railway station till the hitch was solved.

A senior railway official said,“An overhead wire snapped near the Chinchwad railway station at 7.20 am. The trains had to be stopped on both sides. Several local trains were cancelled. Later on,two special local trains were arranged. The first left Lonavala at 10.20 am and reached Pune at 12.20 pm,while the second one left at 12.05 pm and reached Pune at 1.55 pm.”

Hemant Tapale,president of Pune-Mumbai Railway Pravasi Sangh,said,“Many commuters faced hardships in reaching their offices in Mumbai and vice versa. Many commuters were given late entries as they reached their offices well after 12 pm.”