Rail Passengers Association Highlights Safety Issues During Central Railway Inspection

Ram Karan Yadav, General Manager of Central Railway, led a safety inspection in the Mumbai Division yesterday. Railway activists highlighted commuter issues to him during the visit. At Thane Station, Yadav inspected ongoing projects, including platform widening and energy-efficient facilities. Despite emphasizing a commitment to safety, daily commuters expressed concerns about train frequency, overcrowding, and disruptions.

The inspection covered developmental, and upgrade works at CSMT, Dadar, Matunga, Sion, Ghatkopar, Mulund, and Thane stations. However, members of the Mumbai Rail Passengers Association raised concerns about railway accidents beyond Thane and at Kalwa station. They demanded that only local trains operate on tracks reserved for locals, not mail express trains.

The association's General Secretary Siddhesh Desai stated, "Central Railway is focused on long-running trains, neglecting commuter safety. Revenues from mail trains seem to take priority. We will submit a PIL in court regarding the misuse of funds from a World Bank loan meant to reduce local train accidents."

Government Railway Police (GRP) reported 2,507 deaths and 2,155 injuries in 2022 due to accidents on railway tracks across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR). Of these, 700 people, including 648 men and 52 women, lost their lives by falling from or being hit by suburban trains.

Kalwa station showed the highest density, with overcrowding leading to accidents. The Mumbai Rail Passengers Association suggested shifting some trains from Thane to Kalwa to decongest the station. The ongoing Kalwa-Airoli rail link construction was cited as an opportunity to alleviate the situation.

Lata Argade, president of Upanagariya Railway Pravasi Mahasangh, urged the Central Railway GM to address immediate overcrowding issues at Thane Railway station. She proposed starting a daily shuttle service from Thane to Kalyan to manage the rush.

In November 2023, Central Railway urged over 350 organizations to implement staggered office hours to reduce peak-hour congestion and accidents. However, commuter numbers continue to rise despite the addition of nearly 150 new local train services in the last seven years.

Commuters in Thane often use Twitter to report issues like non-functional staircases, delayed trains, cancellations, glitches in the UTS app by Indian Railways, and non-functional indicators. While the Central Railway GM took stock of the situation, commuters emphasized the need for practical solutions beyond photo ops. Suggestions included fixing train schedules to ease the daily commute and imposing fines on passengers entering AC trains without tickets.