Mahalaxmi Express held up since 3am, 700 passengers onboard.

The Mumbai-Kolhapur Mahalaxmi Express has been held up since early Saturday morning due to heavy rains. Around 700 passengers are onboard, DRM Central Railways said. The train has been stranded since 3am between Badlapur and Vangani in Maharashtra that is 100 km away from Mumbai.

Chief Public Relations Officer of Central Railways Sunil Udasi said that the Railway Protection Force and city police have reached the site where the train is stranded. Biscuits and water is being distributed among the stranded passengers.

A National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) team has been deployed to rescue the passengers. The team has reached the spot with several boats. Along with that, a Navy helicopter is helping the rescue operation.

"We...