CST-bound Harbour line trains from Navi Mumbai were delayed by around 45 minutes owing to a rail roko protest led by NCP MP Sanjeev Naik at Belapur railway station on Tuesday afternoon. Mr Naik was protesting against the lack of coordination between the City and the Industrial Development Corporation (Cidco) and the Central Railway, that was leading to poorly maintained railway stations in Navi Mumbai.
The protest started at around 1.30 pm when Mr Naik, followed by around 100 supporters, reached the station and blocked the CST bound track. Although no violence was reported, the protestors had occupied the track for the next half an hour. A 1.38 pm CST local was forced to stop, and finally let go around 2.15 pm. Heavy crowds were reported on platforms at Nerul, Sanpada and Vashi. The protestors were sloganeering against the Cidco and the CR, and demanded resignation of officials who had failed to resolve the deadlock between the two agencies. “CR aur Cidco hai hai. Sanjeev Naik aage badho. Hum tumhare saath hai (Down with Cidco and Central Railway. March ahead Sanjeev Naik. We are with you),” shouted the protestors, consisting mostly of local NCP party workers and leaders.
They cleared the tracks after 45 minutes, and the 1.38 pm local, behind which a few other trains had lined up, finally left around 2.15 pm. Mr Naik then inspected the station and pointed out several infrastructural shortcomings. “Tiles are broken. The roof is leaking. It is a shame that swanky railway stations in Navi Mumbai have to see this day. Why should the people suffer for the lack of coordination between the two government bodies? They should resolve the issue and end this pointless administrative deadlock,” he said, while briefly speaking to mediapersons. The issue had been raging since early 2012 when Mr Naik had pointed towards the poorly maintained railway stations in Navi Mumbai. The railway officials demanded that the stations be transferred to them in a pristine and well-maintained condition.