Mid-Day Impact: Prabhadevi platform to be reclaimed for commuters

The stalls which are now shut at Prabhadevi station after mid-day’s report. Pics/Shadab Khan

Clear and away! Acting on a mid-day report, the Western Railway has shut and sealed four large stalls on the narrow Prabhadevi platform. The stalls will eventually be removed to create more space for commuter movement. The WR has also posted police and RPF staff to monitor crowds on the foot over bridge during rush hour.

The October 24 mid-day report highlighted the limited circulation area for commuters at the crowded Prabhadevi station, where the island platform was occupied by 16 structures and stalls of various shapes and sizes, including container rooms, canteens, fruit juice stalls, water dispensers, and office rooms, leaving little space for commuters. Of the six stalls, four have been closed with immediate effect.

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Commuters had previously complained that the single platform at Prabhadevi station often led to a near-stampede situation at the north and south ends of the bridges during peak hours, as both Borivli-bound and Churchgate-bound trains would halt almost simultaneously. Commuters suggested adding another platform on the east side to prevent such congestion.

Prabhadevi station sees one of the highest footfalls on the Western Railway, with an average of 78,000 passengers daily. However, the space available to manage this volume is highly insufficient, posing a significant safety risk for railway passengers.

The stalls now shut at Prabhavdevi station

Following the mid-day report, Western Railway Mumbai Divisional Railway Manager Niraj Verma, along with his team of branch officers, conducted an inspection at Prabhadevi station on Thursday to review crowd management and passenger amenities.

"After the visit, and per instructions, of the six catering stalls, four have been closed. Two larger stalls remain operational at either end of the station, one at the north end and one at the south end," a WR official said.

Crowded Prabhadevi railway station on Wednesday. Pics/Shadab Khan

"We are thankful to the railways for taking action and look forward to further positive developments like these," said Devendra Tandel, president of the Akhil Maharashtra Macchimar Kruti Samiti, who originally petitioned the railways with a complaint about station congestion.