Passengers left high and dry at Dombivli station

Thousands of CSMT-bound passengers were left in the lurch when two fast locals were cancelled at Dombivli station on Wednesday morning due to a four-hour megablock by CR between Dombivli and Kalyan to launch girders for the new FOB at Thakurli.

The platform at the Dombivli station was packed beyond capacity after the 8.30am and 9.30am trains were cancelled and many long distance trains were diverted to another route.

CR PRO AK Singh said, “It was a planned megablock. The decision was not taken all of a sudden. News about megablock was published in most newspapers and aired on channels. We held the megablock on Christmas, as offices remain shut.”

“Four girders were launched. The work started at 9.45 am and was completion on time at 11.50am. One 400-tonne crane, other equipment and 115 employees were pressed into service,” said the railway official.

The commuters lost patience and got angry when no services were offered between 9.45am and 10.45am. They gheraoed the deputy station master’s office and complained about the CR mismanagement in running the promised special train.

The CR official said they ran special trains at 10.10am and 10.30am that provided a little relief to commuters.

Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Transport ran 20 special buses to facilitate commuters between the stations. Hemant Shukla, 33, a salesman, said, “I usually reach office at 10.30 am sharp. Due to megablock, I had to wait for the train till 11.30 am. I finally reached office at 1 pm. The CR should have punctuality and fullfil the promise.”

Raju Purohit, 39, who runs a stationery shop at Modi street in CST, said, “The locals were overcrowded. I did not take six locals due to crowd at Dombivli. Megablock made me feel that how commuters risk their lives to catch a train and travel on local.”