Inside Western Railway's Mumbai Central control room: The team keeping Mumbai locals running during monsoon

Inside Western Railway’s Mumbai Central control room. pic/Rajendra B Aklekar

While lakhs of commuters battle flooded roads and packed platforms, a team inside Western Railway's Mumbai Central control room works behind the scenes to keep every local moving. mid-day spends a day with the men and women who monitor trains, signals, and every rain-related disruption before it reaches passengers.

The monsoon war room

Where?
Western Railway Divisional Control Office, Mumbai Central

Mission
Keep suburban trains running safely and on time during Mumbai's toughest monsoon days.

They monitor
>> Every local train
>> Every signal
>> Waterlogging
>> Point failures
>> Equipment faults
>> Public announcements
>> Disaster management coordination
>> Social media updates

Meet the guardians of the Western Line

MK Jagesh
Traffic Inspector
Lives: Andheri
Oversees: Entire Churchgate-Virar suburban corridor
Shift begins: 7 am

What he does
The command centre's chief coordinator, Jagesh, ensures every controller, station, field team, and disaster management agency works in sync whenever rain threatens operations.

‘On a monsoon day, punctuality is won or lost in seconds. My job is to see the whole picture and make sure the entire line moves as one.'

Asit Pandit
Section Controller
Andheri-Virar

Lives: Virar
Daily commute: Over two hours each way
Shift begins: 6 am

Looks after
>> Malad
>> Goregaon
>> Nalasopara
>> Other flood-prone stretches

‘I travel this route as a passenger too. This chair feels more like a responsibility than a workstation.'

Jitendra Chetiwal
Deputy Chief Controller (Suburban)
Lives: Bandra
Shift begins: 7 am

Role
Connects every section controller so decisions taken in one part of the railway don't create delays elsewhere.

‘Monsoon control is a team sport. A controller at Virar and one at Churchgate must think as one mind. My role is to make sure that happens, minute to minute, especially when water levels start rising at our sensitive locations.'

Sompal Singh
Section Controller
Churchgate-Andheri
Lives: Dadar
Shift begins: 6 am

Watches
>> Train movement
>> Signals
>> Platform regulation
>> Congestion

‘Every green line is a moving train, and for every red line, we owe an explanation. On a heavy monsoon day, we are not just controlling trains; we are reassuring lakhs of Mumbaikars that their next local will come'

Priyanka Chaudhary
Electric Signal Maintainer-III

Lives: Charni Road
Shift begins: 7 am

Handles
>> Signal failures
>> Data logger reports
>> Field coordination

‘A signal failure can delay thousands within minutes. We try to stop that before it happens.'

Shamali Kharat

Senior Section Engineer (Signal)
Lives: Kalyan
Shift begins: 7 am

Focus
Outdoor signalling equipment during heavy rain.

‘We constantly cross-check every alert with field teams so commuters never feel the disruption.'

How one rainy-day alert is handled

>> Rain intensifies
>> Water levels monitored
>> Signal and track data checked
>> Field staff alerted
>> Repairs coordinated
>> Controllers regulate train movement
>> Passenger information updated
>> Services restored

The monsoon war room

Where?
Western Railway Divisional Control Office, Mumbai Central

Mission
Keep suburban trains running safely and on time during Mumbai's toughest monsoon days.

They monitor
>> Every local train
>> Every signal
>> Waterlogging
>> Point failures
>> Equipment faults
>> Public announcements
>> Disaster management coordination
>> Social media updates

What happens when it pours?

Controllers monitor
>> Every train movement
>> Every signal
>> Waterlogged tracks
>> Equipment failures
>> Platform congestion
>> Timetable adjustments
>> Emergency response
>> Public announcements

They coordinate with:
>> Station Masters
>> Signal Engineers
>> Maintenance teams
>> Field technicians
>> Disaster Management Control Room
>> Public information systems
>> Social media teams

Quote wall

"Every red signal demands an explanation."
Sompal Singh

"Controllers must think as one mind."
Jitendra Chetiwal

"This chair feels like a responsibility."
Asit Pandit

"We catch failures before commuters feel them."
Priyanka Chaudhary

"Rain is toughest on signalling equipment."
Shamali Kharat

"Punctuality is won or lost in seconds."
MK Jagesh