Stampede-Like Situation Near Mumbai After Storm Delays Local Trains

Mumbai: A near-stampede situation erupted at the Thane Railway Station after local train services were delayed due to a storm on Monday, showed a viral video. Hundreds of women were seen jostling to enter a train compartment that hardly had any space, prompting charges of railway mismanagement on social media platforms.

Shocking!! Tears & Struggle#Watch this video of Thane station this evening.
Despite the @RailMinIndia & Hon Minister @AshwiniVaishnaw concern about the passengers, @drmmumbaicr is lethargic about the travel woes of Mumbaikars.
Pull him up for playing with lives. pic.twitter.com/4MVbbE95X6

— Mumbai Railway Users (@mumbairailusers) May 13, 2024

A fierce storm crippled all forms of traffic and railway movement in Mumbai and its suburbs yesterday. A massive billboard collapsed and killed 14 people at a petrol pump during the storm.

The local train services were suspended around 4:15 pm for over two hours after an overhead pole got bent due to strong winds between Thane and Mulund stations, said a Central Railway official.

Slow and delayed train services resumed on the main corridor around 6:45 pm.

In a precautionary move, the suburban services were suspended for 10-15 minutes at various locations on both the main and harbour lines, leading to further disruption of services during peak evening rush hours.

They delays and disruptions led to overcrowding at several stations. In some instances, passengers were even forced to walk on the tracks after their trains came to a standstill. Some commuters claimed the trains took longer than usual to reach their destinations.

The suburban services were running at least 15-20 minutes late after the storm, Western Railway chief spokesperson Sumit Thakur told PTI. There was a signal failure near Charni Road Station as well.

On the Metro Line 7, which connects Aarey Colony with Andheri East Station in Mumbai, services were suspended after a banner landed on the overhead wire during the storm, said a spokesperson.

The storm and unseasonal rain uprooted trees and led to heavy traffic jams across the city.