Mumbai Local Train Update: Technical Snag Disrupts Harbour Line Services Between Vashi And Panvel; Partial Operations Underway

Commuters on Harbour Line faced major inconvenience on Sunday evening after train services between Vashi and Panvel were suspended for over five hours due to a technical issue. The disruption, which began around 4:30 pm, caused widespread delays and left several passengers stranded at key stations like Vashi, Belapur, Nerul, and Panvel.

According to railway officials, the problem originated between Seawoods Darave and Nerul stations. Both Up and Down lines were affected, leading to a complete halt in services along the busy Vashi-Panvel stretch. Although most offices were closed on Sunday, the suspension caused significant trouble for people traveling to meet friends and relatives, especially during the evening hours.

Central Railway’s Divisional Railway Manager posted on X (formerly Twitter), stating: “Due to some technical problems between Seawoods Darave and Nerul on the UP Harbour Line, Up and Down services on Harbour Line are temporarily suspended between Vashi and Panvel. All-out efforts are being made for early restoration.”

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As of 9:45 pm, restoration work was still underway, and train services had not yet resumed on the affected section. In the meantime, partial services continued on the unaffected routes, including CSMT–Vashi–CSMT, Belapur–Panvel–Belapur, and Thane–Nerul–Thane sections.

While railway authorities officially cited a "technical glitch" as the cause, sources indicated that a derailment of a maintenance train might have led to the disruption. However, no formal confirmation was provided.

Passengers expressed frustration over the lack of clear communication and transparency. Bhumika Singh, a commuter stranded at Panvel station, said, “There was an announcement that the services were temporarily suspended due to a technical glitch. I thought it would be resolved soon, but hours passed and the same announcement kept repeating.”

Another passenger, Shweta Chavan, emphasized the need for timely updates and clear communication. “If the railway was more transparent, commuters could make alternate travel plans in time,” she said.

Many criticised the fact that the disruption came shortly after a scheduled maintenance block between Panvel and Vashi that lasted from 10:05 am to 4:05 pm, suggesting better planning and communication could have prevented the extended outage.

Due to the unavailability of train services in the affected section, the pressure shifted to road transport, leading to overcrowded buses, long queues at taxi stands, and delays across the affected areas.