The doors of a Virar-bound air-conditioned (AC) local train failed to open because of a technical snag at the Nalla Sopara railway station on Monday night, triggering panic among commuters and leading to chaos. The doors of six compartment did not open due to a technical snag.
“The doors of six compartments of a Churchgate-Virar air-conditioned local train failed to open because of a technical glitch," said a senior official of Western Railway (WR). There was a problem with the train control management system, said Sumit Thakur, Chief Public Relations Officer of Western Railway.
Several passengers who wanted to alight at Nalla Sopara were forced to travel till Virar, because the doors did not open.
In a video of the incident, which surfaced on social media later, furious passengers can be seen venting their ire on the motorman after the train reached Virar.
"The motorman and the train manager finally apologized and said the problem was because of a technical problem," said a passenger who was travelling by the train. “Meanwhile, Government Railway Police officials and Railway Protection Force officials also reached the spot to bring the situation under control,” the passenger said.
“The AC local train stopped at Nalla Sopara station at around 11.30 pm but guard didn't opened the doors. After a few second train sped to Virar." sid Keval Gala, a software engineer who was also travelling by the train and had boarded it at Dadar. Mr Gala was supposed to alight at Nalla Sopara.
"When train started from Nalla Sopara, I tried to speak with train guard through emergency distress call, but he didn't respond,” Mr Gala said.
"Several passengers who wanted to deboard at Nalla Sopara, got angry and gathered near the train driver's (motorman’s) cabin and start requesting him to take the train back to that station. However, railway officials did not accept this and the passengers were forced to board another local back to Nalla Sopara," said Manoj Panduranga, another resident of Nalla Sopara who was also travelling by the train.
There was communication failure in coach no. 7028 CBA and coach no. 7026 CBA, according to the report of the investigation by WR.
"Tightening of connectors of ICP card MVB train network circuit of coach no. 7028 CBA and coach no. 7026 CBA has been done. After the primary action, the train network and vehicle network started working normally. The passengers were suitably counselled by RPF and GRP officials," said a senior official of WR.
This is not the first time that such an incident has taken place. Commuters of air-conditioned locals in both WR and Central Railway (CR)have expressed disappointment over poor maintenance and recurring technical faults.
On July 12, 2022, the doors of a CSMT bound fast air-conditioned train did not open at Dadar station. On July 28, 2022, doors of few coaches of a Churchgate-Virar air-conditioned local did not open at various stations. On September 16, 2022, the doors of an air-conditioned local that originating at CSMT did not open at Thane and passengers reached the Kalwa carshed of CR.
