Mumbai: Failed girder launch halts CR’s Trans Harbour line, hits morning commute
56 train services between Thane - Vashi cancelled till 10.45 am. 41 additional bus services deployed from various locations, including Thane, Panvel, and Vashi
Mumbai: Commuters on the Central Railway (CR) faced inconvenience on Friday morning after a late-night operation to launch girders over the track went wrong, affecting train services. Train services on the Trans Harbour line between Thane and Vashi were suspended from 7.10 am, causing delays and overcrowding during peak hours.
The disruption on the Trans Harbour line further impacted services on the Kalyan-CSMT (Kalyan Junction - Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus) main line due to the bunching of trains at Thane station. As a result, trains on this route were delayed by 30 to 45 minutes.
Around 56 train services between Thane and Vashi were cancelled till 10.45 am. Due to the disruption, 41 additional bus services were deployed from various locations, including Thane, Panvel, and Vashi.
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“Local trains on both the slow and fast lines are running late,” said Lata Argade, a member of the Railway Pravasi Sangh.
According to Central Railway authorities, the Mumbai metropolitan region development authority (MMRDA) had launched girders over the rail tracks between Thane and Airoli stations. “MMRDA had taken a block from 1 am to 4 am on the Trans Harbour line to launch girders between Thane and Airoli. It has been noticed that the girders launched are tilted, and so, rail traffic was suspended from 7.10 am,” a CR official said.
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The girder was dangerously tilted at one end. To prevent a collapse and ensure safety, the CR had to take another urgent block, people familiar with the matter said.
“We began restoration work at 8.15 am, and hopefully it will be completed soon,” another official said.
The cascading effect disrupted services on the Main line during the morning peak hour. Commuters reportedly waited for over 30 minutes for trains, leading to overcrowding both at stations and inside compartments.
