Thane: Commuter protest against train detention delays suburban traffic for 45 minutes

In an event that disrupted railway operations in Maharashtra, an agitation by commuters at Diva, Thane district, adjacent to Mumbai, led to a 45-minute halt in traffic on the Central Railway's main line. This agitation stemmed from the detention of the 12133 Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT)-Mangaluru Express following the derailment of a goods train in Palghar district's Panvel-Kalamboli section on Saturday afternoon.

The derailment involved four wagons of a goods train en route from Panvel to Vasai. As a result, the express train was detained due to the obstruction caused by the derailed goods train. This led to frustration among passengers, prompting an agitation at Diva station.

The agitation, which occurred from 9.05 a.m. to 9.50 a.m., affected the main line traffic on the CSMT-Kalyan route. The situation was eventually resolved, and the main line traffic was restored at 9:50 a.m. after the agitation subsided.

Railway authorities initially considered diverting the affected express train through Pune, but passengers opposed the decision, advocating for the train to proceed from Panvel. Following discussions, officials acceded to the passengers' request, allowing services to resume.

In a related incident on the previous day, a goods train derailed in Raigad district, further disrupting rail operations on the Panvel-Vasai route. Fortunately, there were no reported injuries from the derailment. Central Railway took immediate action, arranging for alternative routes and crossover adjustments to mitigate delays.

The derailment led to the detention of several passenger trains along the Konkan-Mumbai route. Despite the operational challenges, Navi Mumbai suburban services between the Panvel-CSMT section remained unaffected, as the incident specifically impacted the Panvel-Kalamboli railway line.