Due to Water Clogging, Mahalaxmi Express train was held up between Badlapur and Vangani in Maharashtra.
Nature strikes again, Mumbai-Kolhapur Mahalaxmi Express was stranded since early Saturday morning with hundreds of passengers on board after heavy rains flooded the tracks.
The train was held up since 3 am between Badlapur and Vangani in Maharashtra, which is 100 kilometres away from Mumbai, a passenger on board said.
A Central Railways officer said 700 passengers were on-board the train. However, initial reports claimed that around 2,000 passengers were stranded. Now, the Railways has said that the number of passengers rescued is 1,050.
After all the people were successfully evacuated, the rescue operations were called off. A special 19-coach train was provided by the Indian Railways to enable movement of the stranded passengers. The train has left from Badlapur and will reach Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) station,
Mumbaikars woke up to an intense spell of rain on Saturday morning. Severe waterlogging is being reported from several areas. Train and flight services were hit. The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted “heavy to very heavy rainfall” across the city and its suburbs. Thane and Palghar too will receive heavy showers. The southwest monsoon would remain active over central and adjoining south peninsular India in the coming days.
An IAF Mi-17 helicopter responded swiftly and rescued a group of nine people stranded in a building at Mumbai’s Kalyan. After being rescued, they were safely dropped to the Mumbai airport. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis congratulated the NDRF team, Indian Army, Navy, Air Force, Police, Indian Railways, and local administration for successfully evacuating all 700 passengers stranded on Mahalaxmi Express near Mumbai.
Info- zeenews
Image source- indiatoday