Mumbai: Commuters demand better preparedness after signalling failure cause local train delays

Railway officials take stock of the situation at Kanjurmarg railway station. Pic/Sayyed Sameer Abedi

Ahilya Vaidya, who travelled from Thane to CSMT
‘The 10.05 am train arrived at Thane station around 10.45 am. We reached our destination at 1.30 pm. We considered alighting several times but did not dare to do so'

Nilima Khurana, 38, Ambernath resident
‘I was supposed to reach my office by 12 pm, but it has been over two hours and I still haven't reached. Everyone in Mumbai depends on local trains to get around, and disruptions like these throw everyone's schedules into disarray. My boss shouted at me despite me having no control over the situation'

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Sakshi Patil, 14, Thane resident and student of Matunga's Don Bosco School
‘I have an exam today, and I don't think I will be able to make it in time. Thankfully, it isn't a very serious test, so I can appear for it later'

Passengers walk along the tracks between Mulund and Nahur as local trains remain halted. Pic/Jagdeep Trivedi

Shefeli Sahu, who works at Bombay High Court
‘I left office around 5 pm. By that time also normalcy hadn't returned. After the horrible experience in the morning, I did not want to take risks. So I took the Aqua line till Marol. Then I switched lines and took another Metro from Marol to Ghatkopar and then went home to Vikhroli by auto from Ghatkopar station. This way I did not have to spend a huge amount on a cab and reached home safely."

Geeta Desai, 51, Mulund resident
‘I rarely travel by train. I think this is the first time I have taken a train in five or six months, and this has been the worst experience. The Railways really needs to do something about situations like these'

Namya Prabhakar, travels from Dadar to Thane
‘Usually, the trip takes about R600, when I checked today, it was as high as R800, which is not unreasonable if we take the train situation into account'

Vijaya Joshi, college professor
‘After college, when I checked Google Maps, it showed me that it would take 37 minutes from Borivli station to my home in Thane. Making calculations, I took a fast train from Dadar to Borivli and then took a bus to Thane. I was home safe and sound within two hours. But I could do this because it was not peak hours'

Rujita Dilip Dhaval, who boarded a Kalyan Fast to get to Nahur
‘It was so crowded that I couldn't breathe. I pushed my way out of the train and am now deciding whether to catch another train or book a private bus service. I had finished work by 6.30 pm but initially stayed back at the office to avoid the peak rush. Even by 7.10 pm, though it is slightly better than before, it is still a difficult situation.'

A Karjat-bound commuter

‘I have been trying to find a place to sit at the station since I arrived, but there is nowhere to sit, and I am certain there won't be any room on the train either. The heavy crowds and severe delays are making the trip home extremely difficult. A friend's brother spent two hours on the CSMT-to-Thane train this morning. I came prepared for a hectic journey, but after a full day at work, the physical toll is overwhelming'