The Railway Board has announced that all new rakes being manufactured for the Mumbai Local Suburban network will now come with automatic door-closing systems. This move is aimed at improving passenger safety and reducing the risk of accidents on crowded local trains. In addition to new rakes, all existing suburban trains currently in service will be redesigned and retrofitted with automatic door closure mechanisms.
Trigger behind the initiative
The decision comes after a tragic incident in which several passengers fell from an overcrowded local train en route to Mumbra Railway Station in Thane on Monday morning, according to a spokesperson for Central Railway. The passengers reportedly fell at around 9:00 am while the Kasara-bound train, which had departed from Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT), was passing through the Diva–Mumbra stretch.
Those hanging from the footboard of the train are said to have collided with passengers hanging from another train approaching from the opposite direction towards CSMT, leading to the accident.
According to preliminary reports, at least five people passed after around 12 passengers allegedly lost their balance and fell from the moving train. Visuals circulating online showed passengers clinging to the train doors before falling onto the tracks.
Probe underway
The injured have been admitted to Shivaji Hospital and Thane General Hospital for treatment. Further, the Railway Department has launched an investigation into the incident. Central Railway officials cited overcrowding and malfunctioning doors as the likely causes but are yet to release a formal statement.
