Safety first when revamp work is on at stations

Work at Khar is in the final stages and is expected to be completed soon. Pics/Nimesh Dave

Old railway stations across the city will now have commercial and office spaces above them and on vacant land adjacent to them. Nine of the 18 stations that are being upgraded on the Mumbai rail network have been shortlisted for this project. The four stations that have spare space for commercial exploitation on elevated decks are Mulund, Khar Road, Bhayandar and GTB Nagar. Meanwhile, Mankhurd, Bhandup, Dombivli, Kasara and Neral have vacant land around them. Of these stations, work at Khar Road on Western Railway is at an advanced stage of construction and is expected to be completed soon, according to a report in this paper.

The station redevelopment project is being implemented by the Mumbai Railway Vikas Corporation (MRVC). Officials stated that the identified suburban stations are being upgraded for increased passenger handling capacity and to enhance the overall passenger safety levels and experience at stations.

This will result in decongestion.

While being alive to challenges and passenger safety is welcome, one must also see that safety is uppermost during the redevelopment phase. No exits should be blocked while upgradation is on, and if this is needed then some temporary exits must be created for people.

Signage is all important, while work is on. Let people be informed and when warranted, cautioned in advance about what to avoid, routes to be taken, work is on and so one should be careful, at different parts of the station complex. These signs should not come at the last minute, but just at the start of a turn or route etc. so that people know how to negotiate the space in advance.

Good lighting at all hours is non-negotiable, taking on urgency and importance during the upgrade phase. This edit space has highlighted how visibility is key when it comes to city infra. Commuter safety is paramount during the redevelopment phase too.