Mumbai: Commuters at Vile Parle complain about platforms being congested with stalls, unused rooms

Commuters at Vile Parle have complained that one of their most busy platforms at the station is jam-packed with stalls, unused rooms and passenger amenities in its centre; so much so that it becomes difficult to negotiate it and catch trains.

"Platform 3 and 4 are the most heavily used. It is one island platform which means it has rails on both sides. Exactly at the centre of this platform are so many stalls, cabins, unused rooms and passenger amenities that it becomes difficult to even go to the other side. On a serious note, no one monitors what is coming up on platforms and what is abandoned. They just keep adding to it. All this makes the station a recipe for disaster during rush hour," a regular commuter, Hasmukh Gala, said.

mid-day found that besides the station master's and TC's cabins, there were over four canteens, of which one was abandoned, three water filters which are in very bad shape, bridge landings, pillars, circuit rooms and abandoned cabins, dividing the platform with almost no way to go from one side to another. In addition to this, work on an escalator or staircase is currently on at the station.

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The platform is used by Churchgate and Virar-bound slow trains and is very busy. The other platforms for the harbour line and one for fast trains are not heavily used, but they have a lot of space and there are no hindrances for commuters.

"The problem is that all island platforms need an inspection and removal of unwanted structures. Abandoned amenities and rooms could be removed and more space can be created for walkers on the platform," national zonal railway users consultative committee member Shailesh Goyal said.

Western Railway said it would look into the issue. Western Railway Chief Public Relations Officer Sumit Thakur said, "The Western Railway will do a survey and remove the unnecessary structures."