Heavy rains in the morning hit train services in Mumbai

After a brief respite, heavy rains accompanied by thunder returned to Mumbai on Wednesday morning, delaying local train services and causing inconvenience to office-goers.

Long-distance train services towards Gujarat remained disrupted due to waterlogging in the Vasai-Virar section in neighbouring Palghar district and at several locations in south Gujarat. Operations on the Mumbai-Pune route were also yet to be fully restored following landslides in the Bhor Ghat section on Monday.

Videos showed long queues of passengers wading through flooded tracks using mobile phone flashlights even after midnight following suspension of suburban services beyond Vasai Road in Palghar on Tuesday evening.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast intermittent light to moderate rainfall in the city and suburbs during the day.

Local train services, considered the lifeline of Mumbai, on both the Central Railway and Western Railway networks were running late by 25 to 30 minutes, while Metro and public bus services operated normally.

Suburban services on a section of the Central Railway (CR) network were delayed after ballast beneath the tracks was washed away between Neral and Shelu stations in neighbouring Raigad district due to heavy rainfall in the early hours.

The ballast washout near Neral station was noticed at around 4 am. Both tracks were attended to immediately and train services resumed before 6.15 am, CR Chief Public Relations Officer Swapnil Nila told PTI.

Restoration work in the Bhor Ghat section between Karjat and Lonavala stations was still underway following the landslide earlier this week, he said. As a result, several long-distance trains have been diverted, cancelled or short-terminated.

Western Railway Chief Public Relations Officer Vineet Abhishek said the movement of mail and express trains remained suspended from 7.20 pm on Tuesday till 6.50 am on Wednesday due to waterlogging near a bridge close to Sachin station in the Surat area. Train operations resumed after the water receded.