Rains halt CR, WR services as tracks & platforms go under

Mumbai: The first monsoon showers of the season threw suburban rail services, especially Harbour line, out of gear on Monday, with waterlogging reported at multiple locations, including Masjid station and CSMT. Over 50 Central Railway services — 30 on the Harbour line and 20 on the Main line — and 18 Western Railway services were cancelled. Several hundred services across CR and WR (WR) ran late, stranding thousands of commuters during peak hours. WR services were also hit between Mahalaxmi and Lower Parel, and between Churchgate and Marine Lines after tree branches fell on the overhead wires around 11am and 1.40pm, respectively. Train operations were most affected on the Harbour line between 10.30am and 11.30am. On the Main line, 20 services were short-terminated at Dadar and Parel. Harbour line services between Wadala and CSMT were suspended for nearly an hour, leading to the cancellation of 30 trains. Around eight mail/express trains were delayed by up to two hours due to the downpour.Masjid station saw water levels rise to 9 inches on Harbour tracks and 3 inches on the fast corridor. Unprecedented waterlogging was also reported on CSMT platforms 6 and 7. CR's chief PRO Swapnil Nila said the situation was worsened by the non-operational status of two key pumping stations near CSMT and Byculla — at ONGC Yellow Gate and at Mahalaxmi. "Mahalaxmi station could be made functional around 11.30am," he said.The high tide at 11.24 am, which peaked at 4.75m, led to the closure of flood gates an hour earlier, obstructing the outflow of water and compounding the flooding on tracks. "Trains were packed, and the uncertainty was more frustrating than the delay," said Amrita Jadhav, a commuter stranded at Kurla station. "The announcements were few and confusing," said Pratik Desai, who was on his way to CSMT but had to deboard at Dadar. Though services resumed later in the day, delays persisted with IMD issuing a red alert for the next few hours.Mumbai: The first monsoon showers of the season threw suburban rail services, especially Harbour line, out of gear on Monday, with waterlogging reported at multiple locations, including Masjid station and CSMT. Over 50 Central Railway services — 30 on the Harbour line and 20 on the Main line — and 18 Western Railway services were cancelled. Several hundred services across CR and WR (WR) ran late, stranding thousands of commuters during peak hours. WR services were also hit between Mahalaxmi and Lower Parel, and between Churchgate and Marine Lines after tree branches fell on the overhead wires around 11am and 1.40pm, respectively. Train operations were most affected on the Harbour line between 10.30am and 11.30am. On the Main line, 20 services were short-terminated at Dadar and Parel. Harbour line services between Wadala and CSMT were suspended for nearly an hour, leading to the cancellation of 30 trains. Around eight mail/express trains were delayed by up to two hours due to the downpour.Masjid station saw water levels rise to 9 inches on Harbour tracks and 3 inches on the fast corridor. Unprecedented waterlogging was also reported on CSMT platforms 6 and 7. CR's chief PRO Swapnil Nila said the situation was worsened by the non-operational status of two key pumping stations near CSMT and Byculla — at ONGC Yellow Gate and at Mahalaxmi. "Mahalaxmi station could be made functional around 11.30am," he said.The high tide at 11.24 am, which peaked at 4.75m, led to the closure of flood gates an hour earlier, obstructing the outflow of water and compounding the flooding on tracks. "Trains were packed, and the uncertainty was more frustrating than the delay," said Amrita Jadhav, a commuter stranded at Kurla station. "The announcements were few and confusing," said Pratik Desai, who was on his way to CSMT but had to deboard at Dadar. Though services resumed later in the day, delays persisted with IMD issuing a red alert for the next few hours.