MUMBAI: Twin failures disrupted Central Railway services on Monday, with a fire in a signalling hut at Kanjurmarg knocking out around 24 signals across six lines and a wire snag affecting the overhead equipment between Mulund and Thane.The disruptions led to the cancellation of 80 local services and delays to long-distance trains. A 21-year-old passenger, Sahil Thite, was killed after being hit by a local train at Bhandup amid the chaos.Several commuters were stranded inside trains for 70 to 90 minutes, while some walked along railway tracks after services remained stationary for prolonged periods. The disruption affected both the Main and Harbour lines, with the latter also facing a shortage of available train crews as the Main Line breakdown disrupted operations.Thite, a resident of Amar Nagar in Mulund Colony, had reportedly alighted from a train on platform 4 at Bhandup and was attempting to reach platform 3 to board another local when the accident occurred. The circumstances that led him to cross the tracks are yet to be established.CR’s chief public relations officer Swapnil Nila said, “ The signalling failure occurred at around 9.33am after a fire broke out in the signalling hut at Kanjurmarg. Around 24 signals went blank across all six lines between Vikhroli and Bhandup, severely restricting train movements on the Main Line.”With normal signalling unavailable, railway personnel introduced alternative operating procedures, including A-board authority and absolute block working on affected sections. Trains were allowed to proceed only after the prescribed safety clearances, reducing the frequency of movements and causing delays to accumulate across the network.The signalling failure came amid a separate incident reported at around 9.23am, when a wire of unknown origin was found hanging from the overhead equipment on the down slow line between Mulund and Thane. Railway officials imposed a power block at 10am to remove the obstruction. The affected section was restored at around 10.48am.Although the wire was removed within about an hour, delays had already begun accumulating on the Main Line. Trains were held up for extended periods, leaving commuters waiting inside stationary trains. Several passengers eventually walked along the tracks, creating a safety concern as train services continued to operate intermittently on adjoining lines.The impact extended beyond suburban services, with both arrivals and departures of long-distance trains delayed as operational restrictions and cascading delays affected train movements.The signalling system was restored in stages. Audio-frequency track circuits, which detect the presence of a train within a particular section of track, were made functional on the down and up through lines at 4.10pm and 4.45pm, respectively. The down local signal was restored at 5.30pm, while the Up slow line signal was restored at 6.18pm, according to the restoration timeline provided by railway officials.The disruption also affected Harbour Line services, where a shortage of available train crews compounded operational difficulties as personnel and resources were caught up in the Main Line disruption.Of the 80 cancelled services, 60 were on the Main Line and 20 on the Harbour Line. The cancellations helped railway officials manage operations under restricted conditions but further reduced service availability for commuters.Nila said, “A inquiry will be conducted to identify the cause of fire.”
Mumbai local train disruption: What we know
9.33 am: Signals at Kanjurmarg went blank following a fire in the relay room, disrupting suburban train operations on the Main Line.Possible cause: Excessive heat or a snag in the electrical system is among the suspected causes of the fire. A final determination is awaited.Signalling restoration: Audio-frequency track circuits, which detect the presence of trains in specific track sections, were made functional on the Down Through line at 4.10 pm and the Up Through line at 4.45 pm. The Down Local signal was restored at 5.30 pm, followed by the restoration of the Up Slow line at 6.18 pm.Train cancellations: Around 60 suburban services were cancelled on the Main Line and 20 on the Harbour Line.Inquiry ordered: A senior-level inquiry has been ordered to establish the cause of the fire in the relay room.Overhead equipment incident: An insulator on the Down Local line burst after an external wire fell on it between Mulund and Thane. The incident occurred at 9.23 am, and the line was restored by 10.48 am.Daily suburban services: Central Railway operates 1,820 suburban services across its Mumbai network.
Corridor Daily services
Main Line 894Harbour Line 614Trans-Harbour Line 262Port Line 50Total 1,820
