Over 50 local train services on Central Railway’s Trans-Harbour line were cancelled Friday morning due to a glitch during Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA)’ girder work for bridge between Thane and Airoli, leaving several commuters and office-goers stranded.
Several mainline trains were also held up for more than 30 minutes.
The Trans-Harbour line services, which connect Navi Mumbai and Thane, stopped completely after 8:15 am, causing peak hour disruptions.
The Central Railway announced that normal services would resume only after safety checks were done and structural experts cleared the tracks.
According to CR officials, over 50 train services between Thane and Vashi were cancelled during the breakdown.
Several commuters complained about not being informed in advance about the train cancellations.
“There was no information on the app or any warning. I waited for nearly an hour before I heard about the suspension. If such technical maintenance is planned overnight, authorities should keep it away from peak-hour travel. It is extremely frustrating,” said Harshal Joshi, who is a daily commuter from Vashi and was stuck in transit while traveling to work in Marol.
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A Central Railway official stated that rail traffic was suspended from 7.10 am as a precautionary step.
“MMRDA had taken a block between 1 am and 4 am for launching girders between Airoli and Thane. However, later it was observed that a launched girder was tilted,” the official added.
In response, some 40 bus services were mobilised from Thane, Panvel and Vashi to assist commuters in reaching their destinations.
CR officials said the services were restored at 11.30 am following the clearance of the fault.
MMRDA officials said girder work was part of the Airoli-Katai Naka elevated road project. “MMRDA had undertaken the critical task of launching 10 girders. While nine girders were successfully launched by Monday, during the placement of the 10th girder over the Harbour Railway Line, a technical issue led to a tilt. MMRDA’s team responded immediately, and the girder has now been safely secured and locked in position as per railway safety protocols,” an MMRDA official said.
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The authority also reassured the public that all necessary precautions were followed during the operation and coordination with CR was maintained throughout.
“We deeply regret causing inconvenience to people traveling and for your patience. MMRDA is strongly dedicated to safety, transparency, and timely completion of all its infrastructural projects,” the official added.
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