Mumbai: Protests, stampede-like situation at railway stations

Irate train commuters resorted to protests on Wednesday evening, including a rail roko in suburban Andheri, against the hardships faced due to delays and cancellations in Mumbai's lifeline in the wake of heavy rains.

The rail services have been impacted since late Wednesday morning due to the torrential downpour, leaving scores of commuters stranded and unable to get back home.

Apart from protests, there were at least two incidents of stampede-like situation because of overflow of commuters at Ghatkopar and Thane stations, officials said.

At the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus, a group of protesters was seen giving vent to their anger by shouting slogans against the Central Railway late in the evening, said police officials.

The officials clarified this was not an organised protest and was more impromptu in nature where the commuters started venting out their frustrations.

Additional police force have been deployed and railway officials are trying to speak to the commuters about the issues, an official said.

Services on both the Harbour and Main Lines, which terminate and start at CSMT, have been stopped since morning as the tracks got flooded with waters near Bhundup, Vikhroli, Ghatkopar and Kurla stations.

The tracks were also submerged at Mahim and Matunga stations on the Western line.

The Central Railway (CR) is running services ahead of the suburb of Thane, towards farther suburbs like Karjat and Kasara, while the newly built Trans-harbour line connecting Nerul or Vashi in Navi Mumbai to Thane is fully functional.

'Though the heavy rains have relented, water has not yet receded between the Kurla and Sion-Chunabhatti sections.

'As soon as water goes below track level, we will update about resumption of services,' said the CR's chief PRO.

'As of now no services are being run between CSMT Vashi and CSMT-Thane sections,' he said

At suburban Andheri, a few commuters, most of them women, tried to halt a train to protest poor public announcements in the evening.