As rainwater recedes, rly. begins repairs

Local train services resumed partially on Western Line; one track still flooded

Commuters walk on flooded tracks in Vasai after train services were suspended due to heavy rain on Tuesday.

Mumbai: Getting into restoration mode after the damage wrought by heavy rain over the past few days between Nalasopara and Virar, Western Railway (WR) closed the section for repairs on Tuesday morning.

Trains cancelled include the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Shatabdi Express, which will not be in service for at least four days. Three outstation rakes were affected, including the Jan Shatabdi Express. Railway officials said the train will require extensive repairs as water has seeped into its electrical system. According to a senior official, a diesel locomotive was used to pull the Vadodara Express and take it to Valsad.

The WR worked swiftly to minimise damage and ensure that no local trains and Electric Multiple Unit (EMU) were marooned between train stations. However, a major carshed in the same region and 10 EMUs stationed there for servicing were affected due to flooding on Wednesday. “We are in the process of restoring the carshed, which should take a few days. All local trains are being serviced and maintained at the workshops at Mahalaxmi and Kandivali,” Sanjay Mishra, Senior Divisional Railway Manager (Mumbai), said.

The railway partially resumed train services on the section around 6 a.m. on Wednesday, when water levels dropped below 200 mm. The first local train from Virar to Churchgate ran at 6.22 a.m., and the first down slow local from Churchgate to Virar was started at 8.50 a.m. Initially, three of the four lines were declared fit for use, but with speed restrictions. All mail express trains entering the city were halted at Virar, Nalasopara and Vasai for suburban commuters to use. All lines were made functional only by 2.15 p.m.

Around 130 suburban services and 15 outstation trains were cancelled through the course of the day. WR did not operate the AC service on Wednesday for the second day running. Ravinder Bhakar, Chief Public Relations Officer, WR, said, “We will take a call on resuming the AC service depending on the weather on Thursday.”

Trains were running at speeds of 10 km/hr between Vasai and Nalasopara. Railway officials said the speed restrictions will be in place for the next few days as flooding had damaged the signalling system on the section. Repairs will be undertaken once the water recedes completely. Till Wednesday evening, one of the the tracks had 90mm water.