Commuters’ habit of travelling on rooftops has become more of a nuisance for the Central Railway authorities. Other than the obvious risk it poses to life, it has has thrown a spanner in the works to convert the 1,500-volt direct current (DC) power lines to 25,000-volt alternating current (AC) lines from Kalyan to Thane and southwards from there.

The CRS has refused the railways permission to convert the Kalyan-Thane railway stretch from DC power to AC power unless the authorities curb rooftop travel. File pic