Posted by 
Mumbai: Local train services on the Central Line in Mumbai have been affected after a huge water pipeline and the bridge it passed over, collapsed on a train passing through Thane. At least two persons have been killed and over 10 others have been injured.
“There was panic and commotion among commuters. I was in a compartment towards the middle of the train. We felt that something has struck the train, like a bomb,” said Parshushankar Redekar, a commuter and an eyewitness.
The motorman and one commuter died in the accident.
The fire brigade was pressed into service for rescue operations. Efforts are also on to clear way for resumption of traffic. Twelve injured commuters were rescued from the mangled bogies, half of them are critical.
“The bridge of the Thane Municipal Corporation was under construction. The honourable Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee has announced a compensation of Rs 5 lakh for people who died,” said S Mudgerikar, Chief PRO, Central Railways.
The accident took place near the busy Thane station. All trains entering Mumbai pass through here. Fortunately, the bridge collapsed after peak hour, so the train it fell on, which was headed to South Mumbai, was relatively empty.
Local municipal officials have repeatedly warned that the bridge was dilapidated and dangerous, but their requests for repair were ignored by railway officials. The bridge was in the process of being dismantled when it fell apart.
Services between Ghatkopar and Thane are disrupted. Local train services from CST and Ghatkopar are slowly resuming. Local services beyond Thane upto Kasara and Karjat are also resuming.
It was in fact a horrible horrible repeat of another such tragedy which happened between Dombivli and Thakurli where the Kalyan railway authorities were similarly slugging it out. Ultimately it led to the collapse of a bridge there too on a local train.
One had thought that the Railway authorities and civic authorities had learnt a lesson, but not so, and again another tragedy has happened.
Source: http://www.ndtv.com/news/india/mumbai_pipe_falls_on_train_services_disrupted.php
Related posts:
