Commuters at Ambernath railway station are expressing grave concerns over a potentially concerning situation on Platform 2. According to regular passengers, maintenance work carried out in December 2023 has resulted in an alarming increase in the gap between the platform no. 2 and local trains. The gap, which reportedly extends to 18 inches for the first five bogies towards the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CSMT) end, far exceeds safety standards set by railway regulations. This situation has created significant difficulties for passengers, particularly senior citizens and women.
As per railway board norms, the gap between station platforms and the coach's footboard in suburban rail networks must be within 15 cm ie. 5.9 inches. Pravin Patil, a commuter from Ambernath told LokmatTimes.com, “We had written the letter to the DRM office in April 2024 but they Central Railway hasn’t taken any action. They should show some seriousness towards passenger safety, especially for those traveling beyond Kalyan. This has come after work done without following norms. I myself have seen a pregnant lady fall due to the potential gap.”
As per the figures provided by the Central Railway, the daily footfall at Badlapur is 2.08 lakh while it's 1.52 lakh at Ambernath station. When LokmatTimes.com visited the platform no. 2 of Ambernath station, regular commuters Tanmoy Adak and Sabrina Gomez told, “The gap between the platform and local train is very scary and risky, especially for senior citizens and children. In fact, for all. They can easily raise the height of the platform. All complaints are falling on deaf ears. Nothing has been done. Are they waiting for some casualty during monsoons?” Some commuters have also admitted that they were also about to fall due to this problem. Few commuters also suggested that temporary block of 12 inch can solve the issue until the engineering fault is permanently solved.
Frustrated by the lack of response, concerned citizens are now threatening legal action. They have warned that a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) will be filed in the Bombay High Court if the situation is not rectified soon. The threat of legal action comes with a grim reminder of past tragedies. Passengers cite the case of Monica More, who lost both her arms when she fell into the space between the train and platform at Ghatkopar station in January 2014. They fear a similar incident could occur at Ambernath if urgent measures are not taken. Ambernath station master has acknowledged the issue. “There was some imbalance while changing the sleeper of railway track in the maintenance work. The fault will soon be rectified as passenger safety comes first for us” told the station master. CPRO Swapnil Nila told that the complaint will be forwarded to the DRM office and further details will be taken.