Mumbai rail fracture: Mumbai local services were slowed on Tuesday morning after a rail fracture was discovered between Vikhroli–Kanjur Marg, but were soon restored. Some trains were diverted to the fast line. Recently, four people were hit by a train on Sandhurst Road.
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Mumbai rail fracture: Local train services, considered the lifeline of Mumbai, faced a major disruption on Tuesday morning when a rail fracture was detected on the down slow line between Vikhroli and Kanjur Marg stations on the Central Railway. The problem was discovered at 7:32 am and temporarily disrupted local trains. However, the railway’s technical team acted quickly to secure the track and implemented a 30 kmph speed limit from 7:58 am.
This caused some inconvenience to working commuters early in the morning. However, to manage the situation, the Central Railway immediately diverted some local trains from Matunga to the fast line to avoid further disruption to the traffic. After some time, the situation returned to normal, and all trains resumed running as scheduled.
How was the rail fracture detected?
Rail fractures, or cracks in tracks, are usually caused by excessive pressure, temperature changes, or sustained heavy loads. Technical staff first noticed the crack during a routine inspection on Tuesday morning. Upon discovering the crack, a block was immediately imposed on the section as per regulations, and work to make the track safe began. As a precaution, the railway reduced the speed limit to 30 kmph until the work was completed to prevent any accidents. This slowed down some local trains and caused delays of a few minutes.
Major accident on November 6
With this incident, Central Railway recalled another worrying incident that occurred recently. On November 6, four people were hit by a moving local train near Sandhurst Road station on the Harbour–Central line.
CPRO Swapnil Dhanraj Neela stated that the people were walking on the tracks when the train struck them. All the injured were immediately taken to the railway hospital and are undergoing treatment. The Railways has once again issued a strong message that walking on the tracks can be fatal and should not be done under any circumstances.
Railway Board’s New Strict Guidelines
Along with track safety and track maintenance, the Railways has also taken a major initiative to ensure passenger convenience and cleanliness. The Railway Board has issued new instructions to all zonal railways regarding waste disposal and cleanliness to ensure passengers enjoy a clean environment during their travel.
According to this new system, OBHS (On-Board Housekeeping Service) and pantry car staff will regularly collect garbage from coaches, pack it in sealed bags, and unload it only at designated train stations. Train staff will be solely responsible for maintaining the cleanliness of toilets and coaches within the train. These staff will be trained by the zonal railways to perform this task efficiently.
Staff will be made aware through the ‘Samvaad’ program
The Railway Board has launched a month-long special ‘Samvaad’ program to better train staff and understand their problems. Videos on waste disposal and cleanliness will be shown. The roles of pantry and OBHS staff will be explained. Feedback will be collected and submitted to the Railway Board in the form of a report.
Licensees or staff who do not comply with the rules have been warned of disciplinary action and contract termination.
Mumbai Local Services Restored
With the repair of the rail fracture between Vikhroli-Kanjur Marg, train traffic on the down slow line has returned to normal. Although there were some temporary delays, passengers are relieved that a major accident was averted. Central Railway has stated that regular inspection and maintenance on high-traffic lines like Mumbai is the best way to prevent such incidents.
