Signal snag wreaks havoc on Mumbai Harbour Line

Mumbai: Officials said that Wadala station is proving to be a hassle after the Harbour Line was hit by colossal signal failure due to increased number of trains reversed to either Panvel and Andheri from the station. The line saw seven trains cancelled and 60 trains delayed for over 30 to 40 minutes on Tuesday.

The signal failure itself that lasted from 10.05 am to 10.40 am and occurred on the Panvel to Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST) section but a trickle effect took place on services on the same line as well as the Panvel/Belapur/Vashi to CST line and trains to Andheri were soon hit.

An ocean of commuters was soon seen at Kurla and trains were overcrowded within 20 minutes of the failure. An official on the condition of anonymity said, “When the trains were blocked because of the failure between Wadala to CST the same trains become Panvel to CST and the latter half of the morning peak hour was affected”.

One Harbour Line commuter said, “I was stuck at Vashi for over 45 minutes. The trains that start from Vashi were cancelled and I was waiting for trains from Panvel, but they too were nowhere in sight”. The CR has been struggling with rail fractures and a goods train had derailed on the mainline last week.