Mumbai Local Safety: Forget Hanging Outside the Local Now! Changes in Train Door Design; New Steps by Railways for Passenger Safety

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The issue of crowding in Mumbai locals, traveling by hanging at the door, and the resulting accidents has once again come to the forefront. After a horrific accident that occurred a few months ago, the issue of passenger safety has been seriously discussed, and important decisions are being made by the railway administration. Information has emerged that the process of changing the design of the local train doors has begun. This indicates that there will be restrictions on passengers traveling by hanging outside the doors.

Meanwhile, to ensure that passengers receive immediate medical assistance in case of an accident, Central Railway has launched a campaign to set up emergency medical rooms at suburban stations. In the first phase, it is planned to set up these rooms at 18 stations, and the e-auction process for 10 of these stations has been completed. Kanjurmarg and Igatpuri stations are included in this list.

It is a fact that an average of 10 to 12 accidents occur daily on Mumbai's suburban railway line. Many times, accident victims do not receive timely medical assistance, resulting in loss of life. Against this backdrop, the need to provide immediate medical facilities at stations for passenger safety was emphasized.

A public interest litigation was filed in the High Court on November 11, 2014, and March 10, 2017, on this subject. During the hearing of those petitions, the court directed the establishment of emergency medical units at all railway stations in the state, including Mumbai. Following the court's order, the railway administration began actual implementation. It is reported that these units are operational at 18 out of 36 stations currently on the route. Approximately 3.9 million passengers travel daily on the Central Railway route, while nearly 3 million travel on the Western Railway route. Despite such a large number of passengers, the expansion of medical services is not happening as expected.

Notably, the Central Railway's Mumbai division has not yet succeeded in increasing emergency medical services at suburban stations. Currently, emergency medical units are operational at only four stations: Ghatkopar, Byculla, Kalyan, and Vashi. Although efforts are underway to start this service at more stations, the project is stalled due to the lack of expected response from private partners.

On March 24, 2025, a tender was issued for 15 stations. However, after the tender was opened on April 23, the railway administration faced difficulties as no applications were received. While efforts are underway to prevent accidents by changing the design of local train doors, the issue of immediate medical assistance after accidents still remains. Mumbaikars are now focused on whether both these issues will be handled with equal seriousness for passenger safety.