Bombay High Court Criticizes Railways Over High Commuter Deaths on Mumbai Local Trains
Mumbai, 27th June 2024: On Thursday, the Bombay High Court criticized the Central and Western Railways for the high number of commuter deaths on Mumbai’s local trains. The court demanded urgent action to address this serious issue, emphasizing the need for a robust system and hinting at the possibility of forming an expert committee to conduct a high-level study.
The court instructed the General Managers of Central and Western Railways to personally vet affidavits related to the matter. Chief Justice Devendra Upadhyaya and Justice Amit Borkar stressed that the railways must find effective solutions instead of citing the large number of commuters as an excuse. Additional Solicitor General Devang Vyas was also called upon to assist in resolving the issue.
Chief Justice Upadhyay expressed his dismay, stating, “The matter needs to be handled seriously. The General Manager must study it personally. We need a robust system to address this. It’s a disgrace. I feel ashamed of the way passengers are forced to commute on local trains.”
He added, “We will hold officers accountable at the highest level. The situation in Bombay is dire. You cannot boast about transporting 3.5 million people daily and claim to be doing a good job considering the passenger numbers.”
The court’s remarks came in response to a PIL filed by Yatin Jadhav, a resident of Virar, which highlighted systemic issues leading to these deaths and suggested possible improvements. The PIL cited that 2,590 commuters died on the Mumbai Suburban Rail in 2023, averaging about seven fatalities per day. It identified trespassing on railway tracks, passengers falling from moving trains, and accidents involving gaps or poles (including electrocution) as the primary causes, accounting for 1,895 deaths annually, nearly five per day.
Advocate Rohan Shah, representing Jadhav, pointed out that Mumbai Local is the second-busiest railway system after Tokyo, with a death ratio of 33.8 per thousand commuters, compared to 2.66 in New York and 1.43 in London. “Commuting to college or work is akin to going to war, with fatalities exceeding those of soldiers in active duty,” Shah argued.
In defense, the Western Railway claimed to have implemented significant infrastructure and safety measures, including compliance with previous court guidelines and constructing foot over bridges at stations. The Western Railway’s counsel highlighted that the Mumbai Suburban Rail services around 3.3 million passengers daily with over 1,500 services, asserting that numerous safety measures had been put in place over the years.
