Mumbai Local Train Disruption At Kanjurmarg Linked To Suspected Reverse Current Flow, Central Railway Plans Equipment Relocation

Mumbai: A suspected reverse flow of electric current may have triggered the failure of signalling and telecommunication (S&T) equipment at Kanjurmarg, disrupting Central Railway's suburban services for much of October 26. While the exact cause is yet to be established, preliminary findings have prompted the railway to consider shifting the equipment from its existing location at the cable termination rack to prevent a similar incident.

Railway officials said an abnormal reverse flow of current is suspected to have affected the equipment, resulting in its failure. However, the findings are preliminary and the official inquiry report is still awaited. The precise reason behind the malfunction will be known only after the investigation is completed. Meanwhile, railway authorities are examining the possibility of relocating the equipment as a preventive measure to minimise the risk of another failure.

Signalling Failure Disrupts Suburban Services

The incident on October 26 exposed the vulnerability of the suburban signalling network, with signals going blank across multiple lines between Vikhroli and Bhandup. With the signalling system rendered non-functional, train movements had to be regulated through alternative arrangements, including absolute block working and authority-based movement. The disruption affected both the Main and Harbour lines, forcing the cancellation of several services and causing delays across the network.

Thousands of commuters faced a difficult day as local trains crawled through the affected section. Several passengers were stranded inside trains for extended periods, while services continued to run behind schedule. Railway teams worked through the day to restore the signalling system and normalise operations.

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Incident Highlights Infrastructure Vulnerability

The incident once again brought attention to the dependence of Mumbai's suburban railway network on critical signalling infrastructure. Even a failure at a single location can have a cascading impact on train operations across multiple sections, affecting lakhs of daily commuters.

Equipment Relocation Under Consideration

The proposed relocation of the equipment is among the steps being considered to avoid a recurrence. However, the railway's final corrective measures are likely to depend on the findings of the official inquiry.

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