Public transport thrown out of gear in Mumbai after heavy rainfall

The public transport system was thrown out of gear due to heavy rainfall on Sunday. Local train services were disrupted on Central and Western Railway (WR) lines, and the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) had to divert its buses due to waterlogging in arterial roads, officials said.

Local train services on Central Railway (CR) were disrupted on the mainline corridor between Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) and Kalyan, while on the Harbour railway, services between CSMT and Mankhurd were disrupted, as railway tracks were submerged due to flooding at Kurla, Sion and Chunabhatti.

“On Sunday morning, due to heavy rains and water on railway tracks at Kurla, Sion, Vidyavihar, Chunabhatti and Chembur, local trains were running cautiously, resulting in bunching on the mainline and Harbour line,” said a CR official.

On WR, train services were disrupted on fast line due to waterlogging in railway sections between Prabhadevi and Dadar, Virar and Nallasopara. Slow services were operational between Churchgate and Borivli stations.

Flooding on railway tracks has resulted in termination of 21 outstation trains on WR and 15 trains CR. Six outstation trains operating from the city were also cancelled. “Due to heavy rainfall last night and subsequent waterlogging at various locations between Prabhadevi-Dadar and Virar-Nallasopara, the services on WR were affected,” a WR statement read. Meanwhile, BEST diverted its buses on more than 37 routes including Milan Subway, Sheetal Cinema, SV Road (Bandra), Mankhurd station, Hindmata Cinema, Andheri Market, RCF Colony, Vakola Bridge and LBS Road (Kurla).

According to the BEST officials, around 24 buses were stuck in waters and 10 had to be repaired following breakdown.