CR scores on risk factor

Last year, 83 of a total of 118 train snags in city happened on central line, officials say its just probability, as the line operates more services

If one can prove anything with statistics, then here is what they will deduce. Boarding a train of the Central Railway (CR) is riskier than boarding one belonging to its counterpart Western Railway (WR).
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Recent figures indicate, out of a total of 118 technical snags that disrupted train journeys last year, 83 occurred on the central line.


1,556
Number of services on Central Railway daily


1,210
Number of services on Western Railway daily

And in January this year, out of 7 train related issues, CR was responsible for six (see box).

The figures were released at a press conference after an assessment by the Government Railway Police (GRP).
The hiccups include breakage of pantograph, faults in the trains and overhead wires and so on.

Passengers of suburban sections have always been complaining about reaching late to office due to technical snags on rakes. Now we know, CR passengers just do it more.

Amit Saxena, a Mulund resident, said, "I have witnessed technical problems four times in the last year. Every time the train breaks down, I have to walk along the tracks to the nearest station to reach my destination.

I have faced problems in the new MRVC rakes as well. The railways should definitely do something to resolve the issue," Saxena, who travels on Central and Western lines, said.

Snags worry

The snags are a source of worry for officials as well. The RPF (Railway Protection Force) and GRP functionaries are equally vexed by the intermittent hiccups.

"It's not passengers alone. Every time there is a fault in the system, we are put on duty and pushed hard to solve it. And after that, we deal with the angry passengers," said an official.

More services

But it is probably just probability, as a functionary put it higher the number of trains to operate, more the chances of hitches.

"The WR runs trains between Churchgate and Virar only. We run more trains than them and also cover more distance.

We also have the Harbour line to operate," a senior CR official said, adding, "If we run more services, more rakes, and trains with more coaches, we will face more problems. The probability of failure increases."