Title - Mumbai: Heavy rain changes the track for trains

Heavy rains since late Thursday night and all through Friday evening hit train commute both on the suburban system as well as on the long-distance network coming into Mumbai.

According to Western Railway officials, very heavy rains in Valsad in Gujarat on the all-important Mumbai-Delhi line sprung leaks on a bridge between Atul and Pardi stations.  The rains also caused water-logging on the tracks in the section leaving the line majorly hit.

Central Railway, which generally fares far worse than WR during such rains, had a slightly better day in office on Friday. A CR statement said that continuous and heavy rains led to water-logging on both the lines between Diva and Mumbra from 9.55 am to 10.30 am. After a let-up in the rains, water-logging was noticed once again from 10.55 am to 11.50 am. A total of six locals were stalled and several ran anything between 20-30 minutes late as trains on slow line were diverted on fast line between Diva and Thane.

A total of 18 suburban services were diverted and 33 suburban services were cancelled due to both these incidents, CR officials said.

With heavy rains taking a toll on human life the transport services were hit in Vasai Virar. Western Railway services went haywire after four tracks at Nallasopara station were flooded. Many outstation trains were cancelled and were running late by at least five hours as tracks at Valsad station were under water.