The
Bombay High Court on Thursday sharply criticised the Central and Western
Railways for the alarming number of commuter deaths on Mumbai’s local trains.
Calling for urgent action, the court proposed forming an expert committee to
investigate the issue and stressed the need for a robust system to prevent
further fatalities, reported Live Law.
Bombay
High Court division bench of Chief Justice Devendra Upadhyaya and Justice Amit
Borkar sought affidavits directly from the General Managers of both railways,
rejecting commuter volume as an excuse for inaction. Additional Solicitor
General Devang Vyas was also summoned to assist in addressing the issue.
Expressing
deep concern, Chief Justice Upadhyaya said, “We need a robust system in place
so that this can be checked. It’s a shame. Sorry to use this word. I feel
ashamed. The manner in which in the local trains, the passengers are made to
commute.”
Highlighting
the severity of the situation, the bench stated, “This time, we are going to
make the officers accountable at the highest level. The situation here in
Bombay is pathetic. You [Railways] can’t feel happy by proclaiming that you are
commuting 3.3 million people a day. You can’t also say that considering the
number of passengers in Mumbai, you are doing a good job.”
According
to a PIL filed by Virar resident Yatin Jadhav, 2,590 commuters lost their lives
on Mumbai’s suburban rail network in 2023, averaging seven deaths daily. The
petition cited trespassing, falls from trains, and accidents involving gaps or
poles as primary causes, accounting for nearly five fatalities daily.
During
proceedings, Advocate Rohan Shah, representing Jadhav, likened commuting in
Mumbai locals to a warzone, given the higher death rate compared to soldiers on
active duty in other cities.
“Coming
to college or going to work is like going to war, as the fatalities are more
than the number of soldiers dying in active duty,” Shah said during the
hearing.
In
response, the Western Railway said that significant strides had been made in
infrastructure and safety, including compliance with court directives and the
construction of foot-over bridges.
The
Western Railway counsel emphasised that the Mumbai Suburban Rail transports
approximately 3.3 million passengers daily through more than 1,500 services.
They also noted the implementation of numerous safety measures over the years.