A series of small mishaps along the Central Railway (CR) track hit its punctuality during the peak morning hours on Wednesday, delaying services. The CR saw two railway fractures and engine failure of the Udyognagri Express, which led to 40 trains for CST being delayed by an average of 15 to 30 minutes. Further disruption occurred due to fractures at Kalyan and Matunga-Sion.

On Wednesday, commuters on the mainline were left stranded on stations as fast trains were cut off at Diva due to the Udyognagri Express. “The engine of the Udyognagri Express’ engine failed at Diva from where it shifts from the 6th line for express trains to the suburban fast line. As a result of which the fast trains that come from beyond Diva were cut off towards CST and people were unable to get services for as long as half-an-hour,” said a CR official, requesting anonymity.

The Udyognagri had failed between 7.40 am and 8.04 am and clogged up Express as well as suburban trains at Karjat and Kasara end. The situation was further aggravated after a rail fracture was reported at Kalyan platform no. 4 at around the same time. “The Kalyan fracture was rectified within a matter of 10 minutes or so but it worsened the situation for the commuters a little more,” added the official.

The second fracture occurred between Matunga and Sion between 8.20 and 8.45 am, as the slow trains were delayed as a result of 25 minutes delay.

Commuters such as Ashok Kamble (45), a banker who travels from Kalwa to CST said he had to wait for half-an-hour for the semi-fast CST-bound 8.34 am train from Dombivali. “It was absolutely frustrating because we have no other option but to take the train to CST and I was getting late for work and did not want to get a late mark. I then went out of the station and caught the state transport bus to Dadar and then caught a train from there to CST,” he said.