Due to an issue during the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority’s (MMRDA) girder work for the bridge between Thane and Airoli, more than 50 local train services on Central Railway’s Trans-Harbour line were cancelled Friday morning, leaving a number of commuters and office workers stranded.
Additionally, a number of mainline trains experienced delays exceeding half an hour.
Peak-hour interruptions resulted from the Trans-Harbour line services, which connect Thane and Navi Mumbai, totally ceasing operations after 8:15 am. Following safety inspections and the clearance of the rails by structural experts, the Central Railway declared that regular operations will only resume. During the failure, more over fifty train trips between Thane and Vashi were cancelled, according to CR officials. Many commuters expressed dissatisfaction at the lack of advance notice regarding the train cancellations.
“There was no warning or information on the app. Before learning of the suspension, I waited for about an hour. Authorities should avoid scheduling such midnight technical repair during rush hour. Harshal Joshi, a daily commuter from Vashi who was trapped in traffic on his way to work in Marol, described the situation as “extremely frustrating.” As a precaution, rail service was halted around 7.10 am, according to a Central Railway official.
In order to launch girders between Airoli and Thane, MMRDA had set aside a block between 1 and 4 am. But afterwards, it was noticed that a girder that had been deployed was skewed,” the official continued.
To help commuters get to their destinations, some 40 bus services were mobilised from Thane, Panvel, and Vashi.
According to CR officials, after the fault was fixed, services were resumed around 11.30 am.
According to MMRDA authorities, the Airoli-Katai Naka elevated road project included girder work. The crucial task of launching ten girders had been taken up by MMRDA. Nine girders had been launched successfully by Monday, but a tilt occurred during the installation of the tenth girder across the Harbour Railway Line due to a technical problem. The girder has now been securely fastened and locked in place in accordance with railway safety procedures after MMRDA’s staff acted promptly, according to an MMRDA official.
Source: The Indian Express
