Mumbai: Garbage along tracks affecting equipment, causing snags says railways

Mumbai Local trains. Image/File pic

Suburban rail services on the Harbour corridor between CSMT and Vadala Road stations were suspended today morning due to technical problems in the overhead equipment, causing inconvenience to thousands of passengers. The disruption lasted between 6:30am and 9:25am, said officials, leading to the cancellation of 26 services.

Central Railway has blamed the dumping of garbage along railway tracks for the decay in rail infrastructure, leading to train disruptions like the one earlier today. Officials said that garbage was causing structures like the mast to tilt, which in turn was affecting other electrical equipment.

"The dumping of wet garbage is leading to decay of poles, masts and essential equipment. Sewage released by slums along the tracks is creating slush which is affecting tracks and also loosening the base of these masts," an official said. When contacted, chief spokesperson of CR, Sunil Udasi, said, "We have requested the BMC administration to discourage people from dumping garbage along the tracks. They should ensure that residents of these slums deposit garbage at designated spots."

Commuter Nikhil Vichare, one of the thousands inconvenienced, said his train was moving at snail's pace and it took him over two hours to reach Chembur from Mankhurd, which on other days would have taken about 15 minutes.

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