Delays For Mumbai Local Trains As Angry Passengers Blocked Badlapur Tracks

Mumbai: It wasn't exactly TGIF for Mumbai this morning. Local trains were running nearly 20 minutes late because in Mumbai's neighbouring Thane district, angry commuters blocked the tracks because trains running into the heart of the city- the Chhattrapati Shivaji Terminus or CST, the main station - were delayed.

Railways Minister Suresh Prabhu appealed for cooperation as the police went to the location of the protests to clear the tracks.

GM DRM,officers directed early morning to help passengers in #Badlapur,sort out their problems.Requesting all not to agitate,all steps taken

— Suresh Prabhu (@sureshpprabhu) August 12, 2016

The morning's demonstration began at about 5:30 am when a train pulled in 20 minutes later at the Badlapur station in Thane. Passengers stepped onto the tracks, cutting them off for trains.

By 11 am - much after rush hour ended, the trains were back on schedule.

"What began as a minor protest, quickly grew into a full-blown agitation as the crowd grew. Commuters got down on tracks and stopped trains in both direction, raising slogans against the Central Railway (CR) administration over their inability to run trains on time," reported mid-day.