The Mumbai Suburban Railway is one of the busiest and the largely used commuter rail system in the world. It also has the most severe overcrowding in the world. No doubt MMRDA has been re-hauling the entire rail network by introducing new services, coaches, signalling equipments and other facilities. But still it lacks in some phases of its urgent requisite services which needs attention.
Manmohan Gupta
In the past few years, Mumbai’s local train, the life-line of Mumbai is jam packed and overcrowded; especially in the peak hours with commuters making a dash to catch that particular train to meet the deadlines and their time schedules. Many hang on the door and get pushed and fall down from the moving train. This has given rise to many railway accidents, deaths and leaving many people disabled too. These casualties can be averted if there is automatic door opening and closing system even in the local trains.
Time and again, Manmohan Gupta, the President of a veteran social organisation ‘Gandhi Vichar Manch’( GVM) has been asking to install automatic door system on local trains. Now once again he earnestly takes it forward and appeals the railway authorities and government offices to take note of this serious issue and avert mishaps. Due to disablement or losing life hundreds of families have to face numerous hardships and economic hurdles.
Manmohan Gupta says, “Stringent steps must be taken in this issue at the earliest. When autorikshaws and taxis are fined for taking more passengers than the requisite numbers, then how come people in local trains not do the same. It is agonizing to see people madly rush in like animals and helplessly has to travel uncomfortably. The government authorities are turning a blind eye towards this. The concerned authorities and the government officials should put on their thinking caps and work out a solution and provide automatic doors for opening and closing on local train. This will really help in resurrecting the lives of hundreds of families and travel safely aboard the local trains.”