The Central Railway (CR) in an official statement on November 18 declared that the number of fatalities and injuries on its lines in Mumbai had significantly decreased. Central Railway has credited the continued success of its safety programs with the decrease in fatalities.
In Mumbai, the number of fatalities from accidents on the railway lines dropped by 14% between January and October. During the first 10 months, there were 2,388 instances, compared to 2,755 incidents during the same period in 2023. This represents a 367-death decrease, Central Railway mentioned in an official statement.
The number of injuries has also significantly decreased by 10%, from 1,352 to 1,211 cases within the same time period.
CR reported that the number of deaths and injuries combined has dropped by 508 cases, or 13%, from 4,107 instances in 2023 to 3,599 cases from January to October 2024.
According to a detailed examination of these occurrences, trespassing continues to be a major contributing factor. About 40% of all cases were reported because of trespassing, with 1,429 events involving fatalities and injuries. It was also the root cause of 1,210 of the 2,388 deaths that were reported on the tracks, accounting for more than half of the total fatalities.
It is alarming news that the trespassing occurrences cause major injuries in addition to fatalities, with limb loss occurring in about 18% of cases.
A number of short-term and long-term safety measures have been put in place by Central Railway in reaction to these alarming numbers in an effort to reduce mishaps on its network.
Other causes of death / injuries on tracks include the following:
Short-Term Strategy
1. Stationing members of the Railway Protection Force (RPF) at key locations to prevent trespassing.
2. Building boundary barriers in places where trespassing is common, especially in Mumbai's suburbs.
3. Clearing up encroachments along railway lines.
4. RPF's awareness campaigns in high-risk areas in collaboration with other departments.
5. Using Section 147 of the Railway Act to enforce disciplinary measures.
6. Fencing is installed at the ends of the platforms.
7. To prevent trespassing, ramps at platform ends are removed.
8. Whistle boards are positioned next to dark patches to warn approaching trains.
Long-Term Strategy
1. Platform expansion.
2. Building New Platforms
3. Building subways and foot-over bridges
4. Plans to convert Mumbai's non-AC suburban trains to AC local services.
5. Lifts and escalators to prevent people from trespassing between platforms.
6. Using a media campaign to change passengers' perspectives.
7. Dispersed office hours to lessen Mumbai division's peak rush time.
CR is actively interacting with the community through a number of awareness projects in addition to making infrastructure improvements.
Pamphlets, instructional banners, and street dramas called Nukkad Natak, which are centred around safety messages like "Yamraj & Chitragupta," are among the initiatives that are being used to draw attention to the risks associated with trespassing.