Train services on the Central Railway (CR) were severely disrupted on Saturday morning due to a technical failure in Tata Power’s electricity supply, impacting commuters across key sections of the railway network. The failure affected both the Kalyan-Kasara-Igatpuri and Kalyan-Karjat-Lonavala sections, covering over 150 kilometres, leading to delays and operational halts.
Technical Failure Causes Major Setback: According to Central Railway (CR) officials, the issue arose when an electric supply conductor near Thakurli malfunctioned, causing a trip in the system that affected trains running on the affected stretches. Swapnil Nila, Chief PRO of CR, confirmed that the disruption was due to a fault originating from Tata Power’s supply.
Tata Power Responds: However, Tata Power officials have denied any fault on their end. A Tata Power spokesperson stated, “There was no fault or problem from our side.” Despite this, railway sources confirmed that the power supply was diverted to substations and power lines to stabilize the system. “One phase of the supply has been restored, and the second phase is expected to be fixed soon,” a CR official stated.
The power failure meant that the trains, which rely on overhead equipment (OHE) for power, came to a complete stop. Train operations on both routes were halted for a significant period. The Kalyan-Lonavala section was affected from 6:05 AM to 6:55 AM, while the Kalyan-Igatpuri section faced issues from 6:08 AM to 7:08 AM.
Impact on Commuters: The disruptions caused delays of 20 to 30 minutes, with passengers experiencing inconvenience as trains were unable to run on time. However, the lighter Saturday crowd helped ease the impact. Mandar A., a commuter from Dombivli, mentioned that local trains were running late by approximately 25 minutes, with updates circulating through social media groups as there was no official clarity about the situation.
Resolution and Restoration: As of the latest reports, one phase of the power supply was restored, and efforts to fix the second phase are underway. While the situation was inconvenient for daily commuters, it is expected that normalcy will soon return to the affected lines.
This news report is curated with insights from multiple reliable news sources.
