Thane: Central Railway services beyond Thane were severely disrupted on Wednesday afternoon after the Diva level crossing gate remained open longer than stipulated, causing trains to bunch up across all six busy railway lines connecting Mumbai with the rest of the country.Railway officials said Level Crossing Gate No. 29, which is normally opened for only three to five minutes to allow road traffic to pass between the two sides of the suburb, remained open from 11.49 am for nearly 25 minutes.As a result, train movement between Thane and Kalyan came to a standstill, leaving commuters stranded without any information. The spot is also a crucial interchange point for Konkan route and connecting the Western railway.“All up and down direction trains were stuck between Mumbra and Diva for several minutes, and passengers had no clue what had happened,” said a commuter.Daily passengers said they have been facing frequent delays because the gate is opened multiple times daily. The gates have to be operated due to the delay in completing the road overbridge for last several years.While the Railways completed construction of the bridge portion over the tracks, work on the approach ramps by the Thane Municipal Corporation is delayed due to land acquisition issues.“The work on the eastern approach ramp will begin soon, while the land acquisition issue for the western side is currently being heard in court,” a civic official said following a survey of the stretch Wednesday afternoon.
