An overflowing sewage drain hindered the progress of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams that had arrived to help passengers stranded aboard the Mahalaxmi Express on Saturday. NDRF officials said on receiving a call for help, four teams, two from the Mumbai base and two from Pune, were sent to Badlapur at 2.30 a.m., and they worked to rescue passengers till 4.30 a.m. When the water receded, the passengers got back on to the train and the teams returned.
NDRF commandant Anupam Srivastava said, “At 6.30 a.m., we received the second call as our teams were reaching the Andheri base. The train was stuck in water once again, this time at Vangani. The teams then turned around. Water levels were quite high as there was high tide till 8 a.m.”
Mr. Srivastava said an overflowing drain stopped their progress when they were just one km away from the spot. “The water was so high that our vehicles could not go ahead. We then unloaded our gear, seven inflatable boats, and carried them on foot through a hillock along the drain. However, we could not carry the motors of the boats owing to the weight. So we had to row the boats with oars to the stranded train.”
The first ones to be evacuated were nine pregnant women, followed by children and elderly people. The passengers were helped off the train to safety using ropes. Mr. Srivastava said, “We have put our teams on standby in case of fresh emergencies on Saturday night or Sunday morning.”
