Suburban train services on the Kalyan-Kasara section were severely affected on Wednesday morning after a reckless tempo rammed into a level crossing gate between Ambivli and Titwala. The incident occurred at around 8:20 AM when the three-wheeler tempo, ignoring signals and instructions from the gatekeeper, crashed into railway gate number 48, causing extensive damage.

According to railway officials, the route was cleared within a few minutes. However, passengers reported that multiple suburban services on the busy Kalyan-Kasara route were running behind schedule until noon.

Authorities immediately rushed to the spot and detained the tempo driver, identified as Chhagan Bhoir. He was taken to the Railway Protection Force (RPF) police station in Titwala, where a case was registered against him under relevant sections of the Indian Railways Act. An investigation into the matter is underway.

Rising Train Delays Frustrate Commuters

The incident further highlights the growing issue of train delays on the Central Railway network. The division operates around 1,810 local train services daily, carrying nearly 3.9 million passengers. However, frequent disruptions have become a major concern for daily commuters.

According to railway sources, the number of delayed local train trips has surged in the current financial year. Between April 2024 and January 2025, approximately 35,000 train services were delayed, compared to 29,000 delays recorded during the same period in the 2023-24 financial year. This marks an increase of 6,000 delayed trips, worsening commuter woes and affecting office-goers.