Mumbai: Thane-Vashi train services hit as girder tilts during installation

The girder that tilted due to an engineering lapse

An engineering lapse during the installation of a girder by the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) contractors on the Airoli-Katai Naka road overbridge led to the shutting down of trans-harbour local train services for five and a half hours during Friday morning rush hours, leading to the cancellation of 58 services.

Commuters suffered as Navi Mumbai Municipal Transport and Kalyan Dombivli Municipal Transport collectively ran just a handful of train services - 43. The suspension of services between 7.10 am and 11.30 am caused significant inconvenience for commuters. Sources said the 58-metre girder, weighing 70 metric tonnes, was tilted, triggering safety concerns and leading to disruptions in train services.

A Central Railway spokesperson said, "MMRDA observed a block from 1 am to 4 am [on Friday] on the trans-harbour line to launch girders. It was noticed that the girders are tilted. The train services were suspended from 7.10 am to 11.30 am because of this," he said. MMRDA had taken a night block and was working to place ten girders over the trans-harbour line between Airoli and Rabale. Following the glitch, another block was operated [on Friday] from 8 am till 11.30 am to fix the problem.

Commuter Speak

"The route from Thane to Vashi was not operational from 7.30 am, and people have no clue. Some say there was a bridge collapse in Turbhe. But the railway officials must clarify what exactly caused the delay. I was at the station for an hour with no information," said Sanjay Vetriva, a commuter. "The entire railway crowd spilled onto the roads, and the situation led to a lot of problems. There were not enough buses, and autorickshaws were overcharging passengers. This also led to huge traffic jams," Anagha Wase, another commuter, said.

MMRDA response

MMRDA officials expressed regret about the incident. "As part of the Airoli-Katai Naka elevated road project, the MMRDA had undertaken the critical task of launching 10 girders to improve regional connectivity. 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. The MMRDA's team responded immediately, and the girder has now been safely secured and locked in position as per railway safety protocols," said an official.

"All necessary precautions were followed, and coordination with the railway authorities ensured that the situation was promptly stabilised. We sincerely regret the inconvenience caused to commuters and appreciate your patience. MMRDA remains firmly committed to safety, transparency, and timely execution of all its infrastructure projects," added another official.