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MUMBAI:
Over seven million commuters, including office-goers and students, were severely hit on Tuesday, the second day of the ongoing agitation by motormen manning Mumbai's crucial suburban trains.
The agitation by over 600 motormen on the Western Railway (WR) and Central Railway (CR) compelled the railways to issue a rare advisory Tuesday morning.
"People may undertake (train) journey only if it's very important," said a bulk SMS with a helpline No. 10721 to assist stranded commuters.
At least 170 of the striking motormen were taken into custody at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST) on charges of unlawful assembly and obstructing rail employees from reporting for work, Government Railway Police Commissioner Tukaram Chavan said.
Earlier, 20 motormen, 10 each from Central and Western railways, were dismissed from service for refusing to join duty, railway officials said here.
Railway authorities today said only 20 per cent suburban trains were operating as a result of the hunger strike by motormen demanding hike in pay scales and allowances.
The motormen have been on a hunger strike since 6am on Monday and are demanding a pay hike among other things. Their strike led to complete chaos in the city during the evening peak hour traffic on Monday.
Maharashtra chief minister Ashok Chavan has called an emergency meeting to discuss the situation arising out of the motormen's strike. Police, railway and transport officials will attend the meeting, official sources said.
Chavan had on Monday met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and requested his intervention to end the strike, the sources said.
The chief minister also spoke to railway minister Mamata Banerjee and requested her to take stringent action against the striking motormen, they said.
While hundreds of commuters managed to reach their homes late Monday, the situation was worse on Tuesday morning with the railways announcing the cancellation of nearly 80 percent of the total 2,000 daily services.
The railways resorted to desperate - but insufficient - measures like permitting people to travel in long-distance trains and making them halt at all suburban stations.
The railways are also making alternative arrangements to grapple with the agitation, considered the worst in Mumbai since 1974.
The BEST and MSRTC chipped in to help the stranded commuters by deploying additional services in the city and elsewhere.
Mumbai University announced that any student who was delayed for the 40-odd final examinations need not panic, they would be permitted extra time to write their papers.
The motormen's agitation has had a cascading effect on Mumbai roads and highways which have been plagued by ugly traffic snarls since Monday night - and the situation was repeated Tuesday morning.
In fact, the railway agitation managed to overshadow the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks case, in which the verdict pronouncing Pakistani national Mohammed Ajmal Amir alias Kasab guilty was delivered on Monday.
Over seven million commuters, including office-goers and students, were severely hit on Tuesday, the second day of the ongoing agitation by motormen manning Mumbai's crucial suburban trains.
The agitation by over 600 motormen on the Western Railway (WR) and Central Railway (CR) compelled the railways to issue a rare advisory Tuesday morning.
"People may undertake (train) journey only if it's very important," said a bulk SMS with a helpline No. 10721 to assist stranded commuters.
At least 170 of the striking motormen were taken into custody at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST) on charges of unlawful assembly and obstructing rail employees from reporting for work, Government Railway Police Commissioner Tukaram Chavan said.
Earlier, 20 motormen, 10 each from Central and Western railways, were dismissed from service for refusing to join duty, railway officials said here.
Railway authorities today said only 20 per cent suburban trains were operating as a result of the hunger strike by motormen demanding hike in pay scales and allowances.
The motormen have been on a hunger strike since 6am on Monday and are demanding a pay hike among other things. Their strike led to complete chaos in the city during the evening peak hour traffic on Monday.
Maharashtra chief minister Ashok Chavan has called an emergency meeting to discuss the situation arising out of the motormen's strike. Police, railway and transport officials will attend the meeting, official sources said.
Chavan had on Monday met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and requested his intervention to end the strike, the sources said.
The chief minister also spoke to railway minister Mamata Banerjee and requested her to take stringent action against the striking motormen, they said.
While hundreds of commuters managed to reach their homes late Monday, the situation was worse on Tuesday morning with the railways announcing the cancellation of nearly 80 percent of the total 2,000 daily services.
The railways resorted to desperate - but insufficient - measures like permitting people to travel in long-distance trains and making them halt at all suburban stations.
The railways are also making alternative arrangements to grapple with the agitation, considered the worst in Mumbai since 1974.
The BEST and MSRTC chipped in to help the stranded commuters by deploying additional services in the city and elsewhere.
Mumbai University announced that any student who was delayed for the 40-odd final examinations need not panic, they would be permitted extra time to write their papers.
The motormen's agitation has had a cascading effect on Mumbai roads and highways which have been plagued by ugly traffic snarls since Monday night - and the situation was repeated Tuesday morning.
In fact, the railway agitation managed to overshadow the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks case, in which the verdict pronouncing Pakistani national Mohammed Ajmal Amir alias Kasab guilty was delivered on Monday.
