BEST buses or Mumbai local trains? Your guide before stepping out in the rain

Extra measures have been put in place to ensure road traffic is smooth and additional buses have been deployed for passengers who are unable to take local trains.

ANI Photo

Mumbai: Heavy rainfall coupled with a portion of an Andheri bridge collapsing on the track severely affected train traffic in and around Mumbai on Tuesday morning.

The city witnessed continuous rains from the wee hours of Tuesday with water-logging in several areas slowing road traffic down. Train services began running on schedule but were soon delayed due to the heavy downpour. The maximum impact on services though was when a portion of the Gokhale bridge which connects Andheri East and Andheri West collapsed on the track.

While Western Railway authorities are not sure when services would be back to normal - they say damage to the tracks has not been ascertained, officials have put additional machinery in place to minimise the inconvenience to passengers.

Do note the following updates for taking Mumbai locals:

* Up and down Harbour lines cleared between Andheri and Vile Parle, informs Western Railway. The first train passed at 1420hrs.

* Mumbai-Central-New Delhi Rajdhani Express (Train No. 12951) rescheduled to 1900hrs from 1700hrs.

- Train No. 12953 Mumbai Central-Nizamuddin August Kranti Rajdhani Express and Train No. 19023 Mumbai Central-Firozpur Cantt. Janta Express have been cancelled.

Due to Pathway bridge for pedestrian fallen down the following trains are cancelled
19015/16 Bandra - Porbandar DOJ 03.07.18 Cancelled between Mumbai central & Surat.
59045/46 Bandra - VAPI & VAPI-VR
59439/40 Cancelled between Mumbai Central and Palghar. — DRM WR MumbaiCentral (@drmbct) July 3, 2018

* Movement on harbour line may return to normal by 1400hrs

Monitoring the situation in Mumbai. Working towards restoring harbour line operations by around 2 pm. https://t.co/8F46hC1pkx — Piyush Goyal (@PiyushGoyal) July 3, 2018

* Additional crowd management machinery has been deployed at all major stations from Ghatkopar.

* With Bandra-Goregaon section closed, WR suburban travellers permitted on CR between Ghatkopar and CSMT for today.

* Western Railway has said that train services between Virar-Goregaon and Bandra-Churchgate are running but also urge commuters to travel 'only if very necessary.'

59045 BandraT - Vapi & 59040 Vapi - Virar of 3/7/2018 are cancelled. 19015 Mumbai Central - Porbandar of 3/7/18 is rescheduled at 12.20 hrs. #WRUpdates @drmbct — Western Railway (@WesternRly) July 3, 2018

* The helpline numbers are as follows:

WR HelpLine numbers in view of affected traffic In Mumbai are as under :-
Andheri -
022676 30054
Churchgate -
02267622540
Borivali-
02267634053
Mumbai Central-
02267644257#WRUpdates @drmbct — Western Railway (@WesternRly) July 3, 2018

* BMC Commissioner has been asked to increase the frequency of BEST buses to assist commuters who are unable to or choose not to take locals. BEST now plying 30 extra buses on Western Line route between Bandra and Andheri.

Commuters are requested to travel on WR lines only when very necessary. Limited services being run between Borivali-Goregaon. However, 18 extra buses have been arranged from Borivali for south Mumbai. More extra buses being arranged.Trains working bet Virar-Borivali @drmbct — Western Railway (@WesternRly) July 3, 2018

Do note that the above updates are based on information provided by official sources till 1430hrs.