Several long-distance trains were delayed in the Western Railway on Monday morning as services were halted amid a rail roko due to a brawl between passengers.The Kutch Superfast Express, a long distance train, coming from Bhuj was stopped near Vapi at around 8.40 am. According to sources, the fight originated when passengers with monthly season tickets (MST) boarded the sleeper coaches instead of the general coaches that have been assigned for them.

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The sleeper coaches which were already occupied by the valid ticket holders were angered over the overcrowding in the coach.

"People stopped the train and came down on the tracks in protest. We had to deploy the Railway Protection Force (RPF) staff to control the protsting crowd and vacate them from tracks," said a WR official.

The situation aggravated to a rail roko as well. The trains coming towards Mumbai were affected with many trains queuing up. "The problem persisted till 10am," informed Ravinder Bhakar, Chief Public Relations Officer (PRO) of Western Railway.

Similar fights are also seen on Virar-Dahanu stretch too where passengers board the sleeper coaches of long-distance trains as the general coaches are mostly full. The MST passengers not only block the doors but also occupy the seats of passengers with valid tickets.

At present, the WR operates 24 local train services between Churchgate and Dahanu every day. There are 12 Mainline Electric Multiple Unit (MEMU) services between Virar and Dahanu which is used by 1 lakh plus daily commuters.

PASSENGER BRAWL

  • The monthly service ticket passengers boarded the sleeper class, leading to the fight  
  • Passengers with valid tickets were angry as sleeper coaches were overcrowded