Signal failure on Central Railway disrupts Mumbai local services for hours, passengers stranded

Monday morning proved hard on Mumbai commuters. On the first day of the week, a technical fault hit the signal system on Central Railway and the entire local train timetable went off course. Many passengers had to remain inside trains for hours.

The fault occurred between Kanjurmarg and Bhandup and between Mulund and Thane. It affected movement on both the fast and slow lines. The Central Railway suburban service, called Mumbai's lifeline, faced a serious technical problem on Monday. A signal malfunction was reported between Mulund and Thane and between Kanjurmarg and Bhandup at around 10 am. It has also been said that signal lights on all lines near Kanjurmarg station went out at around 9.30 am. The signals on the slow and fast lines, as well as the 5th and 6th lines, between Vikhroli and Bhandup also developed a technical problem.

With the main line signals down at the peak hour, trains had to be stopped at various places. Movement on the fast and slow lines in both the up and down directions was disrupted. Passengers at first thought it would be a minor fault. But as more than three and a half hours passed without the situation coming fully under control, their distress grew.

Office-goers, students and other passengers who had set out in the morning were stranded midway. Mumbai is currently facing October heat, which made it harder still for passengers to sit in stalled or halted locals. The humidity and the uncertainty over when trains would move left many in a bad state. Eventually, some angry passengers got off the locals and began walking along the railway tracks.

Large crowds of passengers gathered at various stations. Reaching work on time and finishing urgent tasks became difficult for many. Central Railway trains are running about 15 to 30 minutes late, which has upset travel plans.

Information indicates that the railway administration has not yet been able to fully fix the signal fault. According to the information received, repairs could take another 4 to 5 hours. Passengers returning home from offices in the evening could therefore also face major difficulty.

The disruption on Central Railway is also expected to affect road traffic. If more people switch from locals to private vehicles, taxis and buses, congestion on the Eastern Express Highway and LBS Road could worsen.

As soon as the signal fault was detected, the Mumbai division of Central Railway began alternative arrangements to run trains. Under this, a temporary arrangement was made to run trains manually using the "A-board authority" and "TD 912" authority.

"Absolute block working" has been introduced between Vikhroli and Bhandup. Under this method, trains are being sent ahead at very low speed and keeping a safe distance. After the fault, the "K39" and "BL11" trains were also dispatched slowly, following the rules, from the down local line and the down through line respectively. Meanwhile, the railway's technical team has reached the spot and work to fix the complex fault is under way on a war footing. Efforts are on to restore services as soon as possible.