Incident occurs near Mumbra railway station when two trains were passing each other on a steep turn; commuters hanging from doors of crowded trains when their backpacks brush against each other; Railway Ministry decides to install automatic door closing facilities
Mumbai/New Delhi: Four commuters died and nine were injured after falling off two overcrowded local trains in Maharashtra’s Thane district during the morning rush hour on Monday, officials said.
The incident occurred near Mumbra railway station when the trains were passing each other on a steep turn. Chief Public Relations Officer of the Central Railway, Swapnil Nila, said the victims were travelling on the footboard of the two trains, one travelling towards Kasara and another travelling towards Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus Mumbai.
NCP (SP) president Sharad Pawar said the Central Railway should implement measures like installing automatic doors in suburban trains in view of overcrowding. “The Central Railway should increase local trains on important routes. Necessary measures should be implemented immediately for the safety of passengers,” he posted on X. “It is well known that the increased crowding in local trains is the main reason. After such accidents, it is not right to blame the passengers for their deaths,” Pawar said.
Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi said, “The Railways should just shut up about what they are planning to do because none of them have been delivered as far as Mumbai local trains are concerned.” “These are not deaths by overcrowding but murders executed by an apathetic Reel Minister and the government of Maharashtra,” Chaturvedi posted on X.
Mumbai Congress president Varsha Gaikwad said Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw should own responsibility for the tragedy and resign.
MNS president Raj Thackeray said the railways infrastructure in Mumbai has collapsed due to the “hordes” of migrants.
NCP (SP) leader Jitendra Awhad ridiculed the proposal for installing automatic doors in suburban trains, claiming commuters will suffocate due to this facility.
