Mumbai: 100 trains cancelled, lakhs of commuters suffer due to motormen strike

Aug 10 (AZINS) The 42 lakh commuters on Central Railway had to suffer due to issues between the motormen and administration. Nearly 100 trains were cancelled and services were delayed by 15-20 minutes on an average as commuters struggled to travel inside crowded local trains and platforms.

Due to delayed local train services and over-crowding there was stampede-like situation at Dadar and Thane stations during the evening peak hour. Angry commuters gherao at station masters office at few stations to halt Panchavati express at Thane railway station.

In order to provide relief to passengers, the central railway gave permission to passengers to travel in outstation trains and provided special halts at Kalyan, Kurla, Thane and Ghatkopar.

All through the day the administration and rail unions representing the motormen were fighting their causes. "It is an internal matter. The situation will normalise soon," said SK Jain, Divisional Railway Manager (Mumbai), Central Railway.

The most important point raised by the motormen is ‘removal from service’ for Signal Passing At Danger (SPAD) cases.

These are the cases wherein motormen are removed from their jobs, in case the train they are maneuvering, passes despite their being red signal.

This happens mostly when trains are meant to halt at platforms but the motorman forgets and applies brake late. This halts the train beyond the ‘yellow marked’ point and crosses the signal. This is considered as an accident and so motormen are removed.