Mumbai:
Mumbaikars are bracing for an evening on crowded local trains as just 70 percent of the train services are available after a fire last night at the Kurla and Vidyavihar signalling cabins damaged some equipment.
Local trains on Mumbai's main central line have been running about 45 minutes late from its schedule since this morning, sending the metropolis into a crisis.
The Mumbai Police has tweaked the centrally regulated traffic signals to ensure smooth flow of traffic in the peak evening hours. The traffic situation has eased out since the morning. More traffic policemen have also been deployed along the two main roads which were affected in the morning - the LBS Road and the Eastern Express Highway
With the restoration process at the signalling cabins likely to continue for the next two to three days, train services are also likely be hit tomorrow and day-after "It will take three to four days to fully restore the traffic," a Central Railway spokesperson said, adding that services on the Harbour line were also hampered..
The fire, which broke out at midnight, was brought under control soon. But the damage to equipment meant that trains have had to be piloted manually this morning at three or four signals between Kurla and Vidyavihar causing the peak hour delay. Early morning commuters affected by the delay protested angrily saying the authorities had not shared information or made announcements.
"The central railway trains were affected after, a fire broke out around at 2 signalling cabins. The fire was doused after about half an hour. We are trying to find out the reasons for the mishap. The signalling equipment has been damaged badly. it has affected the train traffic badly," said S Malegoakar, the Chief Public Relations Officer of the Central Railway.
Of the seven million people who commute daily on Mumbai's local trains, close to 4 million use the main Central line every day. It connects people from far flung suburbs of central Mumbai like Kalyan, Dombivali, Thane to the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST). Some key stations on this line are CST, Dadar, Ghatkoper, Thane and Kalyan. Several trains connecting Mumbai to Pune have also been affected.