Mumbai: Chaos prevails, commuters puzzled

Chaos and confusion prevailed on the Western Railway lines as thousands of commuters were left bewildered by the serial blasts this evening.

Frenzied scenes were witnessed as people tried to get home after all train services were suspended on the Western line.
However, suburban train services on the Central and Harbour lines were still on, sources said.

Scenes of frenzy were witnessed at the Churchgate terminus in south Mumbai, the starting point of all western railway suburban services, as people tried to get on to vans and other vehicles in their hurry to go home.

Traffic was chaotic outside Churchgate and nearby signal points and people were seen making frantic inquiries about alternative ways to commute to their respective destinations.

At the scene of the blasts, injured were being taken to nearby hospitals and bodies were being cleared from the tracks.

Locals came to the aid of those stuck inside the trains as passengers jumped out of trains as the blasts rocked the first class compartments of crowded local trains, tearing them apart.

Cellphone networks were jammed as people tried getting through to their near and dear ones.

Both arterial roads leading to the western suburbs -- S V Road and Linking Road -- were jammed.

With the traffic moving nowhere, commuters got off buses and taxis and began walking homewards.

People were seen flagging down all passing vehicles and forcing vehicle owners to take stranded people whichever way they were headed.