Badlapur effect: CR to delay long distance trains to better local services

Mumbai commuters might finally have a chance at getting to work on time, as the Central Railway (CR) has decided to give priority to local trains over long distance trains during the morning peak hours.

Also read: Rail roko at Badlapur station ends, services restored

Until now, long distance trains have always been given precedence and allowed to pass, while locals have been kept on hold. This delays local trains by as much as 15 minutes, especially during peak hours between 8 am and 11 am. This is the outcome of the Badlapur rail-roko that happened nearly 10 days ago.

Also rad: Badlapur Agitation - Irked by train delays? Cause more delays

Sources said that during an internal meeting, it was decided that if a long distance train enters Mumbai - which is near Kalyan - then it will be made to wait up to one hour while suburban trains take the path. CR has decided that if long distance trains are forced to wait for over 45 minutes after entering Mumbai, their passengers will be allowed to take local trains.

"The attendants are being asked to inform the passengers that once the train comes to a halt at a siding, then they can walk down to the neighbouring platform. These trains will be parked on the additional rail line parallel to the platforms," said a Central Railway official.

These long distance trains will be halted parallel to a railway station. The other option for passengers is to wait until the train proceeds to Lokmanya Tilak Terminus in Kurla or the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus.

The decision was taken, after Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu slammed Central Railway for poor punctuality on the suburban rail system that stands at 80-83% on an average, while the punctuality of long distance trains is at 93-95%. The officials claim that Prabhu chided them to concentrate on the suburban services and questioned the reason behind the poor punctuality.

The mail express trains (long-distance trains) will be kept on the back burner to avoid delay in suburban train services. The mail express trains have always taken precedence on Mumbai suburban until now, and are often given the green signal to pass through while the local trains wait, even during peak period.

Whenever a long distance train enters the suburban path, a good 10-15 minutes are lost as local trains have to wait. If a local train comes late by over 5 minutes then it is considered a delay. Not just this, the Level Crossing (LC) gates located on the suburban section at Diva, Thakurli and Vasind on the Main line, delay the local trains further. Every time the gate opens; two minutes are lost. "We are doing everything to improve the punctuality and there is intense monitoring of the tracks, rakes and other assets," said A Agrawal, General Manager, CR.