Mumbai: Suburban trains on the Western Railway (WR) came to a standstill on Wednesday as thousands of angry commuters at Borivali station blocked the tracks to protest against poor services.

For a suburban rail network considered the lifeline of Mumbai and used by over six million commuters daily, the stoppage of trains during peak office hours brought misery to commuters. Railway officials said operations returned to normal by 1.45 pm but till then, commuters went through a harrowing time.

Trouble began after crowds swelled on the platforms at Borivali station, a major junction, following the cancellation of a train even as trains from Virar to Churchgate, the South Mumbai business district, arrived packed to capacity.

"And then came this announcement that a Churchgate-bound train would start from platform number eight," said Bindu Sukumar, a Borivali commuter who reaches her bank at Grant Road by 10am everyday. "It was then that there was utter mayhem," she said. People waiting on platforms 1 to 6 would have had to climb up the stairs and walk at least half a kilometre to get down to platform number eight. "This is not easy especially for women waiting on the crowded platforms. Soon, angry commuters jumped down on the tracks to stop all trains," said Sukumar.

The biggest complaints of commuters at Borivali were against Virar-Churchgate-Virar commuters, who do not allow anyone to get into the compartments. "It is incredible the way they, particularly women, usurp these trains for themselves," says Berna Raj, another commuter. "They shout, abuse and push out passengers when we try to get into Virar trains. Even the railway police, whenever we seek their help, do not intervene," she says. Suburban commuters say they have often made complaints, sent e-mails to everyone - right from the President of India, Prime Minister and Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav to address their problems. But the situation remains unchanged in spite of WR introducing 40 new trains on January 26.

"But these new trains are only from Virar to Borivali or up to Andheri, Bandra or Dadar and not up to Churchgate, where most office-goers are headed to in the morning," says Dr S J Garg, President, Railway Passenger and Traffic Relief Association. Also, "the railways should think over using platforms three and six more often at Borivali to mitigate commuters' problems," he added.