Technical issue disrupts local trains on Western Railway route in Mumbai

Local train services of the Western Railway in Mumbai were disrupted on Thursday morning due to a "point failure" on a track at Borivali station, an official said.

Some commuters complained the suburban services were delayed by at least 10 to 15 minutes, resulting in overcrowding on trains and railway stations.

A spokesperson of the Western Railway (WR) said a "point failure" occurred on the slow (north-bound) track at Borivali station and it was rectified at 6.52 am, but due to the problem trains were running 10-15 minutes late.

Passengers said the crowd on trains and platforms swelled due to the issue.

"Train timetable is completely disrupted," commuter Chetan Mundhe claimed, adding the trains leaving from Borivali were running at a snail's pace.

Commuters also claimed some trains were cancelled, but there was no official confirmation from the Western Railway.

The WR operates local trains, considered as the lifeline of Mumbai, from Churchgate (south Mumbai) to Dahanu Road (Palghar). Nearly 30 lakh commuters travel on the WR trains everyday.