Image copyright Prashant Nanaware Image caption The bridge collapse has disrupted train services

A railway bridge collapse due to heavy monsoon rains in India's financial capital Mumbai has stranded thousands of commuters in the city.

The collapse at Andheri station - one of the busiest of the city's western railway line - has also injured five people who have been sent to hospital.

Services on the western line have been partially disrupted with railway stations getting increasingly crowded.

Police have arrived at the scene and repair work has begun.

BBC Marathi's Janhavee Moole, who is at the scene, said the disruption to the rail service has caused severe congestion on the roads.

Image copyright Prashant Nanaware Image caption Traffic infrastructure has been severely affected, causing traffic jams

Chandrashekhar Sawant, a train driver who had been pulling into Andheri station in the morning, told BBC Marathi that he saw the bridge collapse at around 07:30 local time (0200 GMT). He had immediately pulled the emergency brake, prompting the train to grind to a halt just 200ft away from the wreckage.

Officials say his quick action potentially saved many lives.

Officials from India's National Disaster Response Force have arrived at the site and are monitoring the situation.

Image copyright BBC Marathi Image caption Local train driver Chandrashekhar Sawant helped save lives

Local trains are the transport lifeline for Mumbai's residents. With a population of 22 million, it is the world's fourth most populated city.

The city is no stranger to monsoon chaos and the city's largely creaky infrastructure is often heavily tested during this time of year.

Last year, a stampede on a footbridge at the city's Elphinstone station amid heavy rains left 22 people dead and injured more than 30.

Rains also caused severe flooding, stranding tens of thousands of residents as roads literally turned into rivers. A few days later, a residential building collapsed, killing more than 30 people. Heavy rains killed a further 20.

Mumbai's train system, according to a 2010 estimate by the World Bank, suffers from some of the most severe overcrowding in the world, carrying 4,500 passengers in trains with a rated capacity of just 1,700.

Image copyright Prashant Nanaware Image caption Mumbai is no stranger to monsoon chaos</s>MUMBAI, India (AP) — Part of a pedestrian bridge has collapsed at a Mumbai train station during heavy rains, and at least two people were reportedly injured.

A fire official says rescue work was in progress Tuesday morning at the Andheri station of the local train network in Mumbai, India's financial capital.

Debris fell onto train tracks, and area train service was disrupted.

Aaj Tak television news channel says the bridge was more than 50 years old.

Other details were not immediately available.

Every day, millions of commuters use the sprawling train network in Mumbai and its suburbs.</s>Part of a pedestrian bridge collapsed Tuesday morning at a Mumbai train station during heavy rains, and at least two people were reportedly injured.

A fire official said rescue work was in progress at the Andheri station of the local train network in Mumbai, India's financial capital.

Area train service was disrupted. Debris fell onto the tracks, but railroad spokesman Ravinder Bhakar said no trains were passing in the area at the time of the collapse around 7:30 a.m.

Aaj Tak television news channel says the bridge was more than 50 years old. Bhakar said the incessant rains seemed to have caused cracks in the bridge, resulting in the collapse.

Every day, millions of commuters use the sprawling train network in Mumbai and its suburbs.</s>MUMBAI, India — Part of a pedestrian bridge at a Mumbai train station collapsed Tuesday morning during heavy rains, and at least two people were reportedly injured.

A fire official said rescue work was in progress at Andheri station in Mumbai, India’s financial capital. Officials said heavy rains were hampering rescue and relief operations.

Area train service was disrupted. Debris fell onto the tracks, but railroad spokesman Ravinder Bhakar said no trains were passing in the area at the time of the collapse around 7:30 a.m. He said authorities were assessing the damage and co-ordinating rescue work.

India today TV broadcast quoted an eyewitness saying that he heard shouts of someone at the bridge collapse site calling out to be saved. Another witness said some people were trapped under the concrete debris.

Aaj Tak television news channel says the bridge was more than 50 years old. Bhakar said incessant rains seemed to have caused cracks in the bridge, resulting in the collapse.

Every day, millions of commuters use the sprawling train network in Mumbai and its suburbs.

Last year, at least 22 people died in a stampede triggered by a rumour that a pedestrian overpass had collapsed after concrete chunks fell at another railway station.</s>Mumbai fire brigade officials said that they are at the spot and trying to check if some people are trapped under the debris.

The incident has also damaged the overhead cables of the railway tracks bringing the trains' movement on western line to a halt. (Photo: Twitter/@MumbaiPolice)

Mumbai: Train services have been disrupted after the pedestrian portion of Gokhale road over bridge that connects Andheri East to West collapsed on the railway track on Tuesday morning following heavy rains. Five people have suffered injuries in the mishap.

The part of the bridge caved in at around 7:30 am and damaged the overhead cables of the railway tracks bringing the trains' movement on all lines to a halt.

Four fire brigade vehicles were rushed to the spot. news agency ANI reported.

Mumbai fire brigade officials said that they are trying to check if some people are trapped under the debris. However, Railway Protection Force (RPF) has denied anyone being trapped.

"Five injured have been sent to the hospital. Do not think anyone is trapped under debris. Railway administration, RPF, GRP and Mumbai police are present and clearance of debris underway. Railway will probably start operations in next 4 hours," R Kudvalkar, Railway Protection Force, told ANI.

Officials from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), Fire Brigade as well as Railway Police Force have been deputed at the spot. Traffic above and below the bridge has been stopped for now.

A team of the National Disaster Response Force also reached the spot.

Reports have also suggested a traffic jam in the area.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has spoken to Mumbai Police Commissioner and BMC commissioner about the incident. The chief minister asked the police commissioner to ensure smooth traffic movement and also asked BMC commissioner to increase the frequency of BEST buses for the convenience of commuters.

Harbour line passengers affected between Andheri and Bandra are allowed to travel via Ghatkopar on Central Railway towards Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) Railway Station.

Crowd management machinery has been strengthened on Central Railway at all major stations from Ghatkopar onwards. Harbour line passengers have been allowed to travel freely on Central Railway, Central railway said.

Mumbai police have also issued advisories for the commuters.

It has been raining heavily in Mumbai since Monday with parts of the city waterlogged. The met department has predicted heavy rain in the next 48 hours.</s>4 fire brigade vehicles have been rushed to the spot. The Mumbai fire brigade is trying to check if someone is missing or trapped under debris. As per reports, two people have been injured

A section of a foot overbridge here caved in over the Western Railway (WR) tracks during Tuesday morning's peak hours following incessant rain, leaving five persons injured, and creating a scare among the commuters, an official said. The crash has affected Mumbai's lifeline -- the suburban train services, which ferries around eight million commuters daily.

The injured, who include one woman, have been admitted to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's R.N. Cooper Hospital in Vile Parle, a BMC official said. One of them is critical. Railway Minister Piyush Goyal has ordered an inquiry into the incident.

Heavy overnight rains and waterlogging in many areas is suspected to be the cause of the crash of the structure, known as the Gokhale Bridge, on S.V. Road, which connects Andheri East and Andheri West. There were no immediate confirmation whether the injured were commuters or pedestrians. Rescue operations continued to save those believed to be trapped under the debris.

Work was also on to remove the debris from the WR tracks which blocked services in both directions, hitting hard the Mumbai commuters bound for their offices.

According to WR spokesperson C.N.K. David, the portion of the bridge crashed at around 7.30 a.m. on the the southern-end of the Andheri platform numbers 7-8. The falling bridge damaged a portion of the platform roof, blocked the railway lines and damaged the high-tension electric wires and overhead power equipments, he added. "The restoration work is in full swing and we hope to resume normal train services in the next few hours," David said.

The WR said trains were being operated between Goregaon-Virar on the northern side and Bandra-Churchgate in the southern direction, besides Harbour Line from Bandra-CST, and several long-distance trains were rescheduled. The Commissioner of Railway Safety will investigate the incident which has triggered a blame-game between the WR and the BMC.

While the WR said the bridge belongs to the BMC, the latter said the crash took place on the railway portion which was the WR's responsibility for repairs and maintenance. With several lakhs of commuters stranded all over the network, the civic transport body BEST deployed 40 additional bus services between Goregaon-Bandra to clear the rush. The cascading effect was also seen on the Western Express Highway, the main S.V. Road, Link Road and other arterial roads with traffic jams all over.

As a precautionary measure, Mumbai police have stopped all traffic above and below the bridge till the green signal from the railway authorities.

Dabbawalas, who supply Tiffin boxes to the working professionals, have also expressed their inability to work today, as the all the four lines of the Western Railway suburban services have come to halt.

Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates</s>MUMBAI, India (AP) — Part of a pedestrian bridge at a Mumbai train station collapsed Tuesday morning during heavy rains, trapping at least one person and injuring five.

The concrete slab fell onto empty train tracks, damaging part of the platform roof and high-tension electric wires. Rescuers were cutting through the concrete and iron of the fallen slab, while engineers were working to restore power and train services.

The continuing rains were hampering rescue and relief operations at the Andheri station in Mumbai, India's financial capital. The overpass connects the eastern and western portions of the Andheri railways station, and the collapse stranded passengers during the morning rush.

Railroad spokesman Ravinder Bhakar said no trains were passing in the area at the time of the collapse around 7:30 a.m. He said the incessant rains seemed to have caused cracks in the bridge, resulting in the collapse. Aaj Tak television news channel says the bridge was more than 50 years old.

Police official Yaibhav Nigade said at least five people were injured and have been hospitalized. He said at least one person was still trapped in the debris.

India today TV broadcast quoted an eyewitness saying that he heard someone calling out to be saved. Another witness said some people were trapped under the concrete debris.

India's railway minister Piyush Goyal ordered an investigation. In a tweet, Goyal "directed officials to speed up repair work and rapidly restore traffic in close coordination with other departments."

Every day, millions of commuters use the sprawling train network in Mumbai and its suburbs.

Last year, at least 22 people died and 32 others suffered injuries in a stampede triggered by a rumor that a pedestrian overpass had collapsed after concrete chunks fell at another railway station.</s>MUMBAI, India (AP) — At least five people were injured Tuesday when part of a pedestrian bridge at a Mumbai train station collapsed during morning rush hour amid heavy rains, officials said, as authorities struggled to restore the busy station.

Hours after the incident, a platform at another rail station in Mumbai, India's financial capital, caught fire due to a short circuit, police said. No casualties were immediately reported.

In the first mishap, a concrete slab fell onto empty train tracks at the Andheri station, damaging part of the platform roof and high-tension electric wires. Rescuers cut through the concrete and iron of the fallen slab, while engineers worked to restore power and train services.

Continuing rains hampered rescue and relief operations. The overpass connects the eastern and western portions of the railway station, and the collapse stranded passengers during the morning rush.

Railroad spokesman Ravinder Bhakar said no trains were passing in the area at the time of the collapse. He said the incessant rains seemed to have caused cracks in the bridge, resulting in the collapse. Aaj Tak television news channel said the bridge was more than 50 years old.

However, a train driver said he saw a part of the bridge collapsing as he neared Andheri station and applied emergency brakes in to stop his train close to the site, the Press Trust of India news agency reported.

Driver Chandrashekhar B Sawant said he saved human lives as well as any damage to the train. India's Railways Minister Piyush Goyal announced a cash reward of 500,000 Indian rupees ($7,350) for him.

Police official Yaibhav Nigade said at least five people who were walking on the bridge were injured and hospitalized. He said all the people trapped in the debris had been rescued, but rescue teams using sniffer dogs were still searching the debris.

Nigade did not say how many people had been trapped.

India Today TV quoted an eyewitness saying he heard someone calling out to be saved.

Goyal ordered an investigation. In a tweet, Goyal "directed officials to speed up repair work and rapidly restore traffic in close coordination with other departments."

Many streets and roads were waterlogged in Mumbai as monsoon rains continued lashing the city. Weather officials forecast heavy rains in the coming days.

In the second incident, a short circuit caused a fire at a platform of another rail station, where maintenance work was ongoing. Indian broadcasters showed images of some people running for cover as the fire engulfed the platform.

Every day, millions of commuters use the sprawling train network in Mumbai and its suburbs.

Last year, at least 22 people died and 32 others suffered injuries in a stampede triggered by a rumor that a pedestrian overpass had collapsed after concrete chunks fell at another railway station.</s>MUMBAI, India - Part of a pedestrian bridge at a Mumbai train station collapsed Tuesday morning during heavy rains, and at least five people were injured.

A fire official said rescue work was in progress at Andheri station in Mumbai, India's financial capital. Officials said heavy rains were hampering rescue and relief operations.

Area train service was disrupted. Debris fell onto the tracks, but railroad spokesman Ravinder Bhakar said no trains were passing in the area at the time of the collapse around 7:30 a.m. He said authorities were assessing the damage and co-ordinating rescue work.

Police official Yaibhav Nigade said at least five people were injured and have been hospitalized. He said at least one person was still trapped in the debris.

The overhead pass connects eastern and western portions of the Andheri railways station, and the incident stranded hundreds of passengers during morning rush hour.

India today TV broadcast quoted an eyewitness saying that he heard shouts of someone at the bridge collapse site calling out to be saved. Another witness said some people were trapped under the concrete debris.

Aaj Tak television news channel says the bridge was more than 50 years old. Bhakar said incessant rains seemed to have caused cracks in the bridge, resulting in the collapse.

In a tweet, Goyal "directed officials to speed up repair work and rapidly restore traffic in close co-ordination with other departments."

Every day, millions of commuters use the sprawling train network in Mumbai and its suburbs.

Last year, at least 22 people died and 32 others suffered injuries in a stampede triggered by a rumour that a pedestrian overpass had collapsed after concrete chunks fell at another railway station.</s>MUMBAI, India (AP) — At least five people were injured on Tuesday when part of a pedestrian bridge at a Mumbai train station collapsed during morning rush hour amid heavy rains, officials said, as authorities struggled to restore the busy station.

The concrete slab fell onto empty train tracks, damaging part of the platform roof and high-tension electric wires. Rescuers were cutting through the concrete and iron of the fallen slab, while engineers were working to restore power and train services.

The continuing rains were hampering rescue and relief operations at the Andheri station in Mumbai, India's financial capital. The overpass connects the eastern and western portions of the Andheri railways station, and the collapse stranded passengers during the morning rush.

Railroad spokesman Ravinder Bhakar said no trains were passing in the area at the time of the collapse around 7:30 a.m. He said the incessant rains seemed to have caused cracks in the bridge, resulting in the collapse. Aaj Tak television news channel said the bridge was more than 50 years old.

Police official Yaibhav Nigade said at least five people who were walking on the bridge were injured and hospitalized. He said all the people trapped in the debris had been rescued, but that rescue teams using sniffer dogs were still searching the debris.

Nigade did not say how many people had been trapped.

India Today TV quoted an eyewitness saying he heard someone calling out to be saved. Another witness said some people were trapped under the concrete debris.

India's railway minister, Piyush Goyal, ordered an investigation. In a tweet, Goyal "directed officials to speed up repair work and rapidly restore traffic in close coordination with other departments."

Many streets and roads were waterlogged in Mumbai as monsoon rains continued lashing the city. Weather officials forecast heavy rains in the coming days.

Every day, millions of commuters use the sprawling train network in Mumbai and its suburbs.

Last year, at least 22 people died and 32 others suffered injuries in a stampede triggered by a rumor that a pedestrian overpass had collapsed after concrete chunks fell at another railway station.
A pedestrian bridge collapses onto railway lines in Mumbai, injuring five. An approaching train is able to perform an emergency stop before colliding with the wreckage. Thousands of commuters are left stranded throughout the city.