Thousands of commuters faced severe disruption on Thursday evening after railway workers went on a sudden strike at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) to protest against FIRs filed against two engineers involved in the June 9 Mumbra train accident, which claimed five lives.
The strike, led by the Central Railway Mazdoor Sangh (CRMS), brought local train operations to a standstill at key stations including CSMT, Dadar, Byculla, Ghatkopar, Thane, and Kalyan, leaving passengers stranded for over a hour .
Train services were eventually resumed at 6:45 pm after senior officials assured the workers that the matter would be pursued with state authorities. A spokesperson for Central Railway said, “The protest of employees at CSMT on account of the FIR has been pacified and trains have restarted at 6:45 pm.”
The protest began at around 4:30 PM in front of the DRM office at CSMT. Under the leadership of CRMS, railway workers held a demonstration in front of the DRM office, demanding the withdrawal of the FIR. Subsequently, at around 5:35 PM, motormen refused to operate the train. The motormen were supported by other employees and union members. As a result, train services were suspended, and the platform became crowded.
CRMS leader Vivek Shisodia stated that after assurances from senior officers regarding the welfare of the staff and that the matter would be discussed at a higher level, train operations resumed at around 6:45 PM.
Train services were eventually resumed at 6:45 pm after senior officials assured the workers that the matter would be pursued with state authorities. A spokesperson for Central Railway said, “The protest of employees at CSMT on account of the FIR has been pacified and trains have restarted at 6:45 pm.”
Commuters faced significant inconvenience. Many rushed to nearby Metro-3 stations or waited anxiously on overcrowded platforms. Raghav Chandra, waiting for a Kalyan train at CSMT, said, “When I reached the station, I found the trains stopped and the platform completely packed. There was no option but to wait.” Similarly, Mahesh Kamble from Dombivli criticized the sudden strike, calling it “unjust” and likening it to holding passengers hostage.
The GRP had registered the FIR against the engineers following the Mumbra incident, which investigators determined occurred when a track section replaced four days earlier was left unwelded. Trains passing each other at a sharp curve near Mumbra caused backpacks of passengers riding on footboards to collide, resulting in several people falling onto the tracks.
While railway workers argue that the FIR is “unjust and baseless,” claiming the engineers had no role in the accident, commuter advocacy groups have strongly condemned the protests. Siddhesh Desai of the Mumbai Rail Pravasi Sangh said, “Blocking trains during peak hours is highly condemnable. Thousands of passengers, including students, office-goers, and patients, faced extreme hardship. The overcrowding created a serious safety risk.”
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