Train services on the Western Railway line were thrown into disarray on Friday evening after an overhead wire snapped at Palghar railway station, leaving thousands of commuters stranded and sparking a wave of frustration across social media. At the time of going to press, restoration work was underway.
“The incident occurred around 6:55 pm when an express train was pulling into Platform No. 3 at Palghar. According to sources, the overhead equipment (OHE) suddenly snapped, prompting the train driver to sound the horn continuously to alert passengers and staff. The failure brought multiple services — both suburban and long-distance — to an abrupt halt,” said an official, adding that train movement on both the up and down lines was affected.
As a result, several express trains heading towards Mumbai and Gujarat were held up at various stations along the route. Suburban local services on the Palghar–Dahanu stretch also came to a complete standstill during peak evening hours, severely impacting office-goers and daily passengers.
At several stations, platforms became overcrowded as confusion mounted and the evening rush hour turned into chaotic gridlock.
I’ve been stuck in this train for over two and a half hours. Not even an inch has moved. No announcements, no updates — just silence and growing frustration. We’re all clueless here,” wrote Ashish Dixit, a stranded commuter, in a post on X at 9:26 pm. “At the very least, the railways should inform us — this is not acceptable.
”Western Railway officials confirmed that technical teams had been dispatched to the site for emergency repairs. “Western Railway trains are affected due to a technical snag in the OHE (Overhead Equipment) wire near Palghar since 6:55 pm. Tower wagons have been dispatched to the site, and restoration work is underway in the presence of senior railway staff. Services are expected to resume shortly,” Western Railway posted on X at 8:21 pm.
The up line services restored at 10.35 pm, first train cross the section with the restricted speed of 60 kmph work of restoration for down line is in full swing
