Commuters panic as train stops in tunnel

Thousands of commuters panicked as the train they were travelling in broke down inside Parsik tunnel on the Central (Main) line, on Wednesday afternoon. The Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus-bound fast train faced a unit failure.

The tunnel lies on the fast track and covers both the tracks in up and down direction between Thane and Mumbra railway stations. Since the train got stuck on the
up fast line, all the services on this route were diverted on the slow track. The passengers could not contact their relatives as there was no mobile network inside the tunnel.

“Also, we could not jump on the tracks as there was absolutely no space for safe landing. There is a wall on one side and the fast track for down direction trains on the other. Jumping on the tracks would be risking your life. People were stranded for over an hour,” said D Singh, who works with a private company in Parel.

By 3.40pm, the train was pushed to the nearest station, Thane, with the help of another engine. The Central Railway services were then resumed, said railway officials.