Revised timetable sends commuters into a rage at Palghar, Saphale stns

The Saurashtra Mail was also pre-poned by two hours as per the revised timetable, with no direct service till 5.40 am at Dahanu, leaving many essential services workers in the lurch

The new, revised timetable saw commuters resort to a rail roko at Palghar and Saphale stations on Wednesday morning, following cancellation of the first local train of the day. Commuters who protested for nearly an hour and tried to stop the Rajdhani Express, said the railways issued the timetable without warning and should have waited for restoration of normal services for implementation. WR late on Wednesday said it was restoring the train.

The Western Railway revised the timing of the Dahanu-Churchgate special train from 4:40 am to 5:40 am. A note late on Tuesday night announced the change stating that during the run of special suburban services at the gradual opening of lockdown, the timings of Dahanu Road local trains had been changed temporarily, and were being restored now.

BJP MLA Manisha Chaudhary wrote to union Railway Minister Piyush Goyal seeking restoration of services. "The early morning local was a key transport mode for essential workers. A sudden cancellation is unfair and leaves everyone in the lurch," she said.

Also Read: Mumbai: Commuters protest at Palghar railway station as local train cancelled

"Only the Aravali Express and Saurashtra Mail halt at stations between Dahanu and Virar early morning, that too only at Dahanu and Palghar respectively. Now the Saurashtra Mail has been pre-poned by two hours which means there is no direct service till 5.40 am at Dahanu. How can essential staff reach the first shift?" said Himanshu Vartak, consultative committee member for Palghar station.

Essential worker Samidha Pimpale, who filed a formal complaint at the station against the rescheduling said, "In the lockdown, we met MP Rajendra Gavit with a recommendation for this early train. It helps us essential services workers reach work on time."

mid-day has been writing about the simmering discontent among passengers on Central and Western Railways with the revised timetable. Western Railway Chief Public Relations officer Sumit Thakur said that the Western Railway always respected public sentiment and was restoring the 4:40 am Dahanu-Churchgate local with immediate effect.

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