A group of passengers were trapped inside a lift at Bhayandar railway station on March 14 after an electricity supply failure. The incident, which occurred around 2:50 PM on Platform No. 1, led to a temporary malfunction in the lift’s rescue system, delaying the automatic opening of the doors.
A video of the incident went viral on Tuesday, showing stranded passengers waiting inside the lift. The caption of the video claimed that eight passengers were stuck for two hours, but in the footage, a stranded person can be heard saying, “It’s been around half an hour, and no one has come for the rescue yet.” Soon after, a person arrives and helps evacuate the passengers.
Speaking about the incident, a senior railway official stated that lifts are designed to enter rescue mode and open their doors automatically in case of a power failure. However, due to a defect in the rescue device, this function did not work properly, causing a delay. “It took slightly longer than the standard time but definitely not two hours, as the system automatically alerts officials in such cases,” the official clarified.
When asked about the condition and maintenance of the lift, the official emphasised that it was relatively new, manufactured by OMEGA, an Ahmedabad-based company. “The lift was commissioned on March 31, 2024, and is still under warranty. It undergoes monthly maintenance, with the last inspection conducted on February 24, 2025. At that time, the rescue device was functioning normally,” he said.
For the malfunction and delay, the supplier firm is being heavily penalized for improper maintenance despite the lift being under warranty. “Railway staff was already present at Bhayandar station, and the supplier’s staff was also called in. The delay in opening the door was due to a technical fault in the battery of the auto rescue device, but passengers were rescued within a reasonable time,” the official added.
