Tech glitch clogs AC local doors at Dadar, commuters stranded

Many passengers who had intended to alight at Dadar were forced to disembark six kilometres ahead at Byculla, causing much inconvenience and leading to a commotion

Mumbai: When union railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw spoke in Parliament on Wednesday about procuring 238 air-conditioned locals with automatic doors for Mumbai, he was likely unaware of a technical glitch from earlier in the day that exposed lapses and offered a much-needed reality check.

Image for representation (HT Photo)

It was 12.10pm when the 10.42am Badlapur-CSMT (Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus) AC local shunted into Dadar, 15 minutes behind schedule. Commuters inside the train and on the platform jostled towards the doors, eager to board or alight from the local and get on with their routine. But to their dismay, the doors did not part for nearly five minutes, leaving them stranded and frustrated.

“The train halted at Dadar for about five minutes. But due to a technical glitch, the automatic doors did not open. The doors opened only when the train stopped next at Byculla,” A Parab, a Kalyan resident who was on board, told Hindustan Times.

Many passengers who had intended to alight at Dadar were forced to disembark six kilometres ahead at Byculla, causing much inconvenience and leading to a commotion, he said.

“Once people alighted from the train at Byculla, many rushed to the motorman’s cabin. But the motormen there said switches for the automatic doors are controlled by train managers or guards,” said another passenger who did not wish to be identified.

An official from Central Railway said though the guard had pressed the relevant buttons, the doors did not open due to some technical error.

“So the train then proceeded to its next halt, Byculla, where the problem did not recur,” the official said.

Meanwhile, in Parliament, Vaishnaw harped on the safety aspect of the 238 new AC rakes with automatic doors that are being procured for suburban services in the city. Around 120 mail and express trains and 3,200 suburban locals ply daily in the city and work on capacity enhancement is underway, he said.