Stranded Mumbai commuters block suburban train service

Hundreds of irate commuters staged an impromptu 'rail-roko' agitation at Nala Sopara station demanding resumption of regular suburban train services after it was discontinued as COVID cases increased in the area.

Palghar (Maharashtra):Upset over the discontinuation of state transport buses, passengers created ruckus at the Nallasopara railway station on Mumbai's suburban network and also tried to stop the movement of local trains on Wednesday morning, the Government Railway Police (GRP) said.

Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) stopped plying its buses for Mumbai since morning, following which employees of various private companies were left stranded as they were not even able to board the local trains since they do not fall in the essential services category, an officer goer said.

The Railways last month resumed suburban train services in Mumbai for ferrying staff of the essential services. The services were halted in March this year following the outbreak of COVID-19.

Later, the GRP reached the spot and managed to disperse the commuters crowds peacefully.

According to a GRP officer, some irked bus passengers jumped on slow tracks at the Nallasopara station in neighbouring Palghar district and tried to stop the trains around 8 am, but they were removed from there after some time.

"They first protested outside the railway station against the closure of the public bus services and later entered the station premises and tried to stop the trains," the official said.

Security was later stepped up at the railway station with the deployment of additional force and the train services were resumed, he said.

A large number of stranded passengers were still at the Nallasopara bus stand, said a passenger

Commuters from Mumbai, Thane, Palghar and Raigad have been demanding that the local train services -- the lifeline of the country's commercial capital -- be resumed immediately or more categories of workers be permitted to travel by the special services being operated since a month.

Interestingly, these four districts -- which comprise the sprawling Mumbai Metropolitan Region -- has the highest number of Covid-19 cases and fatalities.

With input from agencies