Mumbai Local Train Crisis: Commuters Demand Accountability After October 26 Disruption; Central Railway Explains Delays

Mumbai: For lakhs of Mumbaikars, local train travel has become a daily test of patience. After years of adjusting to delays and overcrowding, commuters are now demanding accountability, better services and safer journeys, especially after the October 26 disruption that brought Central Railway's suburban network to a standstill for hours.

October 26 Disruption Leaves Thousands Stranded On Central Railway

A foreign wire on the overhead equipment and a fire in a signalling hut disrupted services, leaving thousands stranded. Several commuters were forced to walk along railway tracks to reach their destinations, while three people were found dead on railway tracks amid the chaos.

Speaking to the Free Press Journal, commuters said recurring delays and overcrowding were affecting their professional and personal lives.

Office-Goers Complain Of Salary Deductions And Unreliable Train Announcements

An office-goer travelling from Mulund to CSMT said passengers often face late marks and salary deductions despite having no control over train delays. "Sometimes we wait for 45 minutes to an hour. Indicators show something else, and trains arrive at a different time. Announcements should be proper. We are the ones who face questions from our bosses. How much earlier can we leave home?" he asked, also flagging congestion at Thane station.

Sitaram Devle, who travels daily from Bhandup to Currey Road, said evening trains are often delayed by nearly half an hour. "What about people travelling from Karjat and Kasara? Reaching office on time is a priority, but passengers are constantly affected by delays," he said.

Students Demand More AC Locals, CCTV Cameras And Affordable Fares

College student Krish demanded more frequent AC locals and CCTV cameras inside trains to improve passenger safety. While several commuters supported increasing AC services, others said fares should also be reduced to make them affordable.

A senior citizen called for more ticket-checking staff and greater deployment of Government Railway Police (GRP) and Railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel at stations. He also urged passengers not to risk their lives by walking on railway tracks.

Another commuter said switching to buses or private vehicles during disruptions was hardly an option, as roads were equally congested. The uncertainty, coupled with household responsibilities and commuting difficulties faced by women, was also affecting passengers' mental well-being.

Central Railway cites operational constraints, infrastructure upgrades

Responding to the concerns, Central Railway Chief Public Relations Officer Swapnil Nila told FPJ that Mumbai's suburban railway network is a complex system operating on a massive scale, with multiple operational and maintenance requirements.

"The suburban system operated by Mumbai Division of Central Railway runs more than 1,800 local train services and carries over 40 lakh passengers every day. The network operates from 26 different originating points, with multiple combinations of origins and destinations," Nila said.

Explaining the scale of operations, he said the division has around 167 rakes, of which approximately 140 operate on any given day. Each rake travels around 400 km daily, taking the total distance covered by suburban trains to approximately 14-15 lakh kilometres every day.

He said such intensive operations require extensive and regular maintenance of trains, tracks and signalling infrastructure.

Nila also pointed to the numerous infrastructure projects underway across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, with works worth over Rs 20,000 crore being undertaken. Of these, around 12 projects fall under Central Railway's Mumbai Division.

These include the third and fourth lines between Kasara and Kalyan, additional lines between Kalyan and Karjat, the Panvel-Karjat suburban corridor and the fifth and sixth lines between CSMT and Kurla.

He said the third line between Kasara and Khardi has recently been completed, which is expected to benefit passengers travelling towards Kalyan and Kasara.

Why do even minor disruptions have a cascading impact?

Explaining the reasons behind prolonged delays, Nila said the short interval between consecutive local trains leaves little room to accommodate disruptions.

"The gap between two trains is less than three to three-and-a-half minutes. Even if there is a minor failure lasting four to five minutes, or a train gets delayed, the cascading effect becomes difficult to manage because the subsequent trains are immediately affected. There is no breathing space between two trains," he said.

He added that railway authorities are attempting to address commuter concerns through infrastructure upgrades. However, land acquisition issues and encroachments continue to pose challenges to project execution.

Nila also said Central Railway had attempted to seek staggered working hours from multiple organisations to ease peak-hour pressure, but the response from several organisations had been lacklustre.

While Central Railway has cited the scale of operations, maintenance requirements and infrastructure constraints, commuters continue to seek answers to a more immediate question: how long will they have to bear the consequences of a system that struggles to provide reliable daily services?

For Mumbaikars, the demand is not limited to faster trains or additional infrastructure. It is about reaching work on time, travelling without fear, having reliable information during disruptions and returning home safely.

After years of adjusting to delays and overcrowding, commuters are now demanding accountability, better planning and basic respect for the city's lifeline.

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