June 30, 2025: In a passionate plea to prevent further fatalities on Mumbai’s overcrowded suburban railway network, railway accident survivor and passengers’ rights activist Samir Zaveri has urged Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to implement critical infrastructure reforms—chief among them, the introduction of 18-coach local trains.
Zaveri, who lost both legs in a train accident and is now 90% disabled, cited alarming 2024 figures in his letter dated 27 June: 2,477 lives lost and 2,697 injuries reported on the city’s rail network. Most incidents were attributed to overcrowding, people falling from moving trains, or unsafe boarding and alighting.
While most Mumbai locals still run with 12 coaches—and only a few with 15—Zaveri stressed that the shift to 18-coach Electric Multiple Unit (EMU) trains is both urgent and technically feasible. He attached a 2008–09 approval by the Railway Design and Standards Organisation (RDSO), pointing out that platform extensions and fleet upgrades have long been viable. “There’s no technical hurdle—only administrative inertia,” he stated.
Zaveri also called out the lack of emergency medical rooms on suburban platforms. Referencing a 2008 Bombay High Court order (PIL No. 50), he reiterated the legal mandate for 24/7 emergency rooms, doctors, and ambulances at all suburban stations—compliance he claims remains patchy, especially across Central Railway.
A Central Railway official responded, stating ambulances are deployed where space permits and tie-ups exist with nearby hospitals. In contrast, Zaveri’s letter highlighted that Western Railway reportedly has 108 ambulances stationed across all 32 Churchgate-Virar stations.
He further recommended adopting Communication-Based Train Control (CBTC) to reduce train headway from 3 minutes to 1, significantly improving frequency and commuter safety.
Source: The Free Press Journal
