700 passengers stranded onboard Mumbai-Kolhapur Mahalaxmi Express; NDRF to the rescue

The train is held up between Vangani and Badlapur, which is 100 kilometres away from Mumbai, since 3 AM today, according to a passenger on board.


Central Railway noted that 8 NDRF boats with personnel have reached the train

Mumbai-Kolhapur Mahalaxmi Express was stranded as torrential rainfall continued to batter Mumbai on Saturday.

According to CPRO, Central Railway, total of 700 passengers are on-board the train. the NDRF team and Navy chopper are conducting rescue operation.

The train is held up between Vangani and Badlapur, which is 100 kilometres away from Mumbai, since 3 AM today, according to a passenger on board.

In the latest update provided by the Central Railway, the department noted that 8 NDRF boats with personnel only few hundred meters away from site will shortly reach the train.

Earlier, Chief Public Relations Officer of Central Railways Sunil Udasi said that the RPF and City police have reached the site where Mahalaxmi Express is held up. The personnel is distributing biscuits and water to the stranded passengers. "NDRF team will be reaching in shortly for evacuation," the tweet added, requesting the passengers of the Mahalaxmi Express to not get down from the train.

"We request passengers of Mahalaxmi Express not to get down from the train. The train is in a safe place. Staff, RPF, and City Police are on the train to look after you. Please wait for advice from NDRF and other disaster management authorities," he appealed to passengers.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra's Directorate General of Information and Public Relations (DGIPR) Brijesh Singh said three boats have reached the spot where the train is stranded, adding that the Chief Secretary is looking into the situation himself.

Heavy rains lashed Mumbai, leading to traffic snarls and water-logging at several major junctions.

Vehicles were seen wading through the waterlogged streets of Sion, Chembur, Gandhi Market at snail's pace due to heavy traffic jam.

Air traffic was also disrupted for a couple of hours in Mumbai, as seven flights were cancelled and around eight to nine were diverted. Around 8:15 am, Mumbai International Airport PRO had announced that flight operations returned to normal.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Mumbai will continue to receive heavy rains till July 29 with the minimum and maximum temperatures hovering around 24 degree Celsius and 30 degree Celsius, respectively.