Mumbaikars experienced unexpected rainfall and a dust storm on Monday, impacting Train services in central and Harbour railway. The delays led to a stampede-like situation at many railway stations including Thane because of over a one-hour delay in Mumbai's local train services. Footage captured the chaos, with women struggling to board jam-packed compartments, some even falling on the platform in the confusion. Commuters have shared harrowing tales of yesterday's travel chaos, recounting scenes of suffocation, exhaustion, and frantic rushes to catch trains amidst medical emergencies involving loved ones. Mumbaikars were frustrated by morning delays due to signal failure and evening disruptions from the dust storm and rain.
Chhaya Doyare, a commuter traveling from Dadar to Diva with a 25-kg luggage, told LokmatTimes.com that yesterday was like a nightmare for her. “I boarded the CSMT- Kalyan train at 3:16 pm. When the train crossed Mulund station, we got to know that the overhead pole got bent due to the strong winds between Thane and Mulund stations. The train was not moving for more than half an hour. Me, along with my 25-kg luggage, jumped off from the train. It was raining, and we had to walk till Thane station with hefty luggage. I was tired and suffocated.” She narrated feeling unsafe as a strange man was following her while she was walking with her belongings.Doyare said, “GRP and RPF police personnel were not present in adequate numbers, and many senior citizens were struggling to walk in the rain”.
The overhead pole between Thane and Mulund stations was bent by strong winds, leading to the suspension of services around 4:15 pm. It took more than two hours, around 6:45 pm, for the slow train services to resume. Due to this, commuters experienced significant inconvenience during peak evening rush hours. Another commuter, Jayesh Sawant, stated, “Almost had my shoulder dislocated while leaving from Khopoli train at Badlapur with people waiting to board. There was no space to de-board and was sandwiched between 10-15 people. Railway authorities could arrange for an additional rake during peak hours on this route, specifically between Badlapur and Karjat stations to accommodate the heavy rush of commuters.”
Tejas Sonar, a Thane commuter who wanted to go to Kasara, witnessed the stampede-like scenes at Thane station. “I was waiting at Thane station for nearly 2 hours as the trains were late. Many passengers were struggling to breathe. Many were shouting, and the situation was out of control. This happened between 6 pm- 8 pm. Later, they extended some train services. The trains that were up to Thane were extended to Kalyan and Kasara.” He highlighted the plight of a woman passenger who was tensed to reach her home as her son was facing a medical emergency and was hospitalized.
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Another resident, Digambar, told LokmatTimes.com, “Yesterday, I boarded the 6:21 fast Karjat train and reached Dombivli at 8:37 pm. The current state of transportation is clearly unsustainable. We do not have an alternative to the railway. We deserve reliable and efficient services that prioritize passenger comfort and safety. Railway should pay attention for safety. Especially for ladies and senior citizen commuters.”
As the whole Mumbai came to a standstill yesterday, some commuters traveled by Ola and Uber instead of locals but were stuck in traffic for hours. “The stampede situation was very unfortunate. It was a natural disaster but timely announcements from railways is all that was needed in avoiding such scenarios that lead to panic,” told Lata Argade, the secretary of the Suburban Railway Pravasi Mahasangh to LokmatTimes.com. Talking about the signal failure that happened yesterday morning, she said, “On every weekend, CR conducts a mega-block. They should strictly inspect the tracks, signal system, and other technical aspects.”
Many unfortunate events unfurled yesterday. “Ghatkopar hoarding tragedy feels so personal. I catch a train from there every day and go there so often for street food. Had it been a weekend evening, I might have been there myself,” remarked a commuter named Vipul. Many commuters feel that Railways, Municipal corporations, and government agencies should come together to avoid such tragedies. Some commuters were dissatisfied as they feel that the government is giving priority to Vande Bharat and long-distance trains and ignoring locals while some feel that all the politicians should cut short all their campaigning rallies and focus on the plight of commuters in the wake of the recent tragedy.