Mumbai: MP Varsha Gaikwad offers 4-point solution to make suburban railway network safe

Congress MP Varsha Gaikwad. File pic

Mumbai North Central MP Varsha Gaikwad has taken up the issue of crowding on Mumbai local trains following the Bombay High Court's scathing observation on the subject, calling for staggered office timings and a "humane upgrade" of the city's suburban network and offering a four-point solution.

"I demand urgent action to address the deplorable safety conditions on Mumbai's suburban local train network. The daily loss of seven precious lives due to overcrowding, electrocution and track crossing is unacceptable. 2,590 people died and 2,441 got injured on the suburban train network in 2023. The Bombay High Court's scathing observation regarding passengers being herded like cattle is a stark reality check. I have requested an immediate meeting with the railway minister involving commuter organisations, GMs of Central and Western Railway, state government, and BMC representatives to tackle this crisis," Gaikwad said in a letter to Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw. Some of the solutions she proposed include staggered work hours, increased train frequency, modernised infrastructure, and upgraded safety measures which she said were "long overdue."

Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw at the meeting with senior officials

"The suburban network, a lifeline for millions and one of Railways' profitable networks deserves a humane upgrade. I urge the ministry of railways to take decisive action to prevent further tragedies. The people of Mumbai demand better," she said.

Railway minister in city

Vaishnaw was in Mumbai for a meeting over the weekend and took a review of monsoon preparedness of the Western Railway and Central Railway zones, also reviewing plans for future infrastructure works which can lead to an increase in the capacity of the suburban network. General managers and senior officers of both railways were present at the meeting. Divisional rail managers of the Mumbai divisions shared their monsoon-preparedness action points. The works like micro-tunnelling, deployment of drones and remote-controlled floating cameras for drain monitoring, and construction of new drains and culverts were reviewed.

"Plans to run additional suburban and long-distance trains in the near future were also discussed. Innovations related to a modification in the muck special train and making point machines water resilient were explained during the meeting," an official said.

2,590
No. of deaths on suburban rail network in 2023

Solutions offered by MP

. Construct more east-west overbridges: Prevent track crossing by building more overbridges and deploy security personnel or volunteers in high-incident areas.

. Introduce point-to-point services: Implement non-stop services on certain routes, such as Virar to Churchgate, to better distribute passenger load.

. Increase train frequency: Enhance the frequency of trains, especially during peak hours, to reduce overcrowding and ensure safer travel conditions. While introducing AC services, the Railways must ensure existing non-AC services are not reduced.

. Modernise infrastructure: Upgrade platforms, signalling systems and train compartments to improve safety and efficiency. Facilities must be improved on platforms to avoid gap-related accidents. Proper roofs and other facilities must also be constructed to ensure the orderly movement of commuters.