2,000 Vehicles Affected In Seven Months, Impact On Railway Traffic Schedule Due To Unnecessary Chain Pulling

Mumbai, 1st November 2022: Emergency chains in local, mail and express trains are pulled by some passengers for no reason or trivial reasons. It affects local and mail-express schedules and collapses. In the seven months from April 2022 to October 2022, 1,706 incidents of emergency chain pulling have occurred in the Mumbai division, due to which 2,319 local and express trains on the Central Railway have been delayed.

Chain pulling occurs when co-passengers do not arrive on time, wait on the platform, fall from the mobile train, want to get off the train, forget the luggage on the platform and other passengers travelling in the disabled compartment. From April 2022 to October 2022, 1,706 incidents of emergency chain pulling of local, as well as mail and express coaches, have occurred in the Mumbai section from CSMT to Khopoli, Kasara, Panvel, Igatpuri, Lonavla.

Due to these incidents, trips are stopped. In the last seven months, 1,225 mail, express, and 1,094 local trains were delayed, Central Railway informed. In April 2022, 143 mail, express, and 194 local trains ran late, while in October, 186 mail, express, and 120 local trains ran late. During the peak season of May, August, and October, there are more types of chain pulls. After pulling the chain, it takes at least four to five minutes or more for the train to start again. Due to this, the schedule of other trains coming behind is disturbed.

‘’Emergency chains in local and long-distance trains should not be pulled unnecessarily by passengers. Due to this, the punctuality of other trains deteriorates, and the passengers suffer. Stringent action is being taken against chain pulling without reason,’’ said Shivaji Sutar, Chief Public Relations Officer at Central Railway.