22 August,2024 09:08 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
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Commuters faced difficulties on Thursday as technical issues disrupted AC local train services on Mumbai's suburban railway network.
While sharing the Mumbai local train updates, Western Railway officials announced that the AC local trains will operate as non-AC local trains for today.
"Due to technical problems, the following AC local trains will be running as non-AC local today, 22.08.2024. We deeply regret any issues this may cause. Thank you for your patience and understanding," the Western Railway said in a post on X while sharing the Mumbai local train updates.
Meanwhile, commuters travelling on the Western Railway line through Churchgate station on Wednesday experienced delays in services due to a point failure.
"All Up and Down local trains have been running 10 to 15 minutes behind schedule due to a point failure," an official said while sharing the Mumbai local train updates.
The point failure has disrupted the normal flow of trains, affecting several passengers.
The railway authorities are actively working to resolve the issue and restore normal service as quickly as possible, the officials said.
City's longest rail-roko in recent history
Meanwhile, the rail roko protest at Badlapur station in Thane district over the alleged sexual abuse of two girls at a school caused the diversion of 15 outstation trains and suspension of local train services on the Ambernath-Karjat section for ten hours, leaving thousands of passengers stranded, reported PTI.
The resumption of services was allowed in the night after the Central Railway operated a light engine between Ambernath and Vangni stations to ensure track safety in view of the eviction of protesters by the police.
The first suburban train reached Badlapur station at 8:05 PM, almost 10 hours after the services were suspended, said Swapnil Nila, chief public relations officer of Central Railway, reported PTI.
"First Up local (Khopoli-CSMT) and Down local (CSMT-Karjat) both passed Badlapur at 8.05 pm," Nila said, reported PTI.
After a gap of several hours, the first local train for Badlapur departed from CSMT in south Mumbai at around 7 pm.
Thousands of protesters on Tuesday blocked railway tracks at Badlapur station over the alleged sexual assault of two four-year-old girls by the school sweeper in the washroom, leading to massive disruption of local train services and diversion of some long-distance trains.
Authorities arranged buses on the Kalyan and Karjat route as several commuters remained stranded at various stations due to the suspension and partial suspension of local train services, reported PTI.
A total of 15 mail-express trains, including Solapur-CSMT Vande Bharat Express, were diverted via Diva-Panvel-Karjat stations till 5 pm, said Nila, reported PTI.
He said 42 suburban trains between Ambernath and Karjat/ Khopoli remained partially cancelled till 9 PM, reported PTI.
The Railway sought the requisition of 100 extra buses from state and civic transport bodies for commuters between Kalyan and Karjat and received 55 buses, Nila said, reported PTI.
(With inputs from PTI)
