Heavy Rain Disrupts Mumbai Local Service, Over 100 Trains Cancelled Due To Waterlogging

Heavy rains in Maharashtra have disrupted train services in Mumbai and adjoining areas of Kalyan and Thane. Central Railway cancelled 100 suburban services (Mumba Local), 80 on the main line and 20 on the Harbour line. Further, 10 Mumbai-Pune trains were also cancelled due to severe waterlogging on the rail tracks. Various trains were cancelled since morning on July 19 due to waterlogging on Ambernath-Badlapur section. The traffic was restored in the late evening, while many trains were cancelled and diverted in the process. 

"Kalyan-Kasara section restored to normal at 17.25 hrs. All points failures of Kalyan station are put right. Ambarnath-Badlapur DOWN section restored to Normal at 17.50 hrs. (Badlapur-Ambarnath UP section restoration remained)," tweeted Central Railway. Rains lashed parts of Mumbai amid an orange alert on Wednesday, leading to disruption of local train services beyond Kalyan in the adjoining Thane district, diversion of some express trains and cancellation of a few services between Mumbai and Pune.

The Central Railway said it has diverted some mail and express trains via Diva-Panvel-Karjat route and Daund-Manmad route, besides short-termination and cancellation of a few trains between Mumbai and Pune. The disruptions caused inconvenience to thousands of commuters. As trains crawled or stood still on tracks, several commuters were seen walking on rail lines to reach the nearest station.

In the morning, train services on the Panvel-Belapur Harbour Line route were affected due to a "point failure" at Panvel at 9.40 am. They were restored by 10 am, he said. Bus services of the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) undertaking ran as per their proper routes and there was no diversion, a civic official said.

Eknath Shinde, Chief Minister, Maharashtra said he spoke with all divisional commissioners and collectors and instructed them to send help to Raigad, battered by heavy rains since Tuesday night, from Panvel and Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporations. The CM credited the installation of 450 pumps by BMC in 450 areas and the drain cleaning work for the non-accumulation of water on a rainy day in Mumbai.