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Time of India
3 days ago
- Time of India
666 chain-pulling incidents on CRin 20 days, 463 people penalised
Mumbai: Between June 1 and 20, Central Railway (CR) recorded 666 instances of alarm chain pulling across its network -- 251 of which occurred in the Mumbai division alone. As a result, 463 passengers were prosecuted, and a total fine of Rs 1.7 lakh was collected, according to CR's chief spokesperson Swapnil Nila. Each incident caused a minimum delay of five minutes per train. Around 150 trains faced delays ranging from 10 to 15 minutes. This marks a 53% increase compared to the same period last year, which saw 98 such disruptions. "These delays had a cascading impact, affecting multiple subsequent services," Nila said on Sunday. Both mail/express and suburban trains in Mumbai were hard-hit, resulting in inconvenience to thousands of daily commuters. The reasons for chain pulling varied widely -- from accidental triggers and late boarding attempts to dropped mobile phones and other non-critical issues. "We urge passengers not to misuse the alarm chain for trivial reasons, as it causes widespread disruption," Nila said. He reminded the public that unwarranted chain pulling is a punishable offence under Section 141 of the Railways Act. You Can Also Check: Mumbai AQI | Weather in Mumbai | Bank Holidays in Mumbai | Public Holidays in Mumbai A senior Mumbai division official said, "In Mumbai, chain pulling is frequently misused to stop long-distance trains for non-emergency reasons -- such as alighting at undesignated stops or to purchase water. The alarm chain is strictly meant for genuine emergencies like fire, medical situations, or onboard accidents." To reduce such misuse, the railways has advised passengers to reach their boarding stations well in advance and carry manageable luggage. "Facilities like battery-operated cars and wheelchairs are available at most stations to assist senior citizens and differently abled passengers," Nila said.
Time of India
11-06-2025
- Time of India
Thane tragedy: ‘CCTV cameras' view blocked by trains, those injured too can't tell how they fell'
MUMBAI: Central Railway on Tuesday set up a five-member committee of senior officials to investigate the sequence of events leading to the Mumbra tragedy. The probe panel includes the senior divisional security commissioner, senior divisional mechanical engineer, senior divisional electrical engineer, senior divisional engineer, and the senior divisional operations manager. CR's chief public relations officer Swapnil Nila said, "There is no fixed deadline, but the committee has been asked to submit its findings at the earliest." A senior RPF official said, "We have reviewed CCTV footage from the platform, but it doesn't offer much insight as the view was blocked by the trains themselves." Adding to the mystery, officials said even the injured commuters have been unable to provide clear accounts of how they fell. "There is talk of passengers being flung and colliding with the opposite train, but nothing is confirmed yet," an official said. The incident occurred at the Diva end near Mumbra railway station. Preliminary observations suggest the incident occurred when two fast locals-a Kasara-CSMT train and a CSMT-Karjat one-crossed each other ahead of the curve. It is suspected that shoulder bags or luggage brushing against passengers could have destabilised those on the edge. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Deze plug-in SUV is écht compleet. Ontdek het zelf. Meer informatie Undo CR has not imposed any additional speed restrictions on the stretch following the accident. Of the 13 commuters involved in the mishap, 11 were aboard the Kasara-CSMT fast local, while two were on the CSMT-Karjat train. Of the deceased, Vicky Mukhyadal and Mayur Shah were in the CSMT-Karjat train, while Ketan Saroj and Rahul Gupta were travelling on the Kasara-CSMT local. An official said scratch marks were found on the exterior of the Kasara-CSMT train's last coach. "It appears that a passenger's bag may have grazed the coach of the opposite train, which may have triggered the incident," the official said. Meanwhile, the local staff from Mumbra railway station who attended to the mishap victims are likely to be called in for questioning. The railway police, guided by the assistant commissioner of police, railways, CSMT, on Tuesday inspected the spot where the victims were found following the mishap to look for clues. -Inputs by Manoj Badgeri
Time of India
10-06-2025
- Time of India
CCTV, eyewitnesses unable to explain Mumbra deaths, CR sets up probe panel
MUMBAI: More than 24 hours after the Monday morning rush hour Mumbra tragedy in which four commuters died and nine others were injured — some after falling off two passing local trains and others while inside the compartment — Central Railway (CR) is still to conclusively determine what led to the unprecedented accident on the city's suburban railway network, reports Manthan K Mehta. In the absence of clear CCTV footage or inconclusive eyewitness accounts, the cause remains a mystery. CR on Tuesday set up a five-member committee of senior officials to investigate, but did not specify a deadline. They will examine all possibilities, including overcrowding, brushing of bags, possible quarrels, or passengers on footboards losing balance at a curve. Cops tracked another man injured in the incident to a private hospital in Diva, taking the count of injured to 10. Central Railway on Tuesday set up a five-member committee of senior officials to investigate the sequence of events leading to the Mumbra tragedy. The probe panel includes the senior divisional security commissioner, senior divisional mechanical engineer, senior divisional electrical engineer, senior divisional engineer, and the senior divisional operations manager. CR's chief public relations officer Swapnil Nila said, "There is no fixed deadline, but the committee has been asked to submit its findings at the earliest. " A senior RPF official said, "We have reviewed CCTV footage from the platform, but it doesn't offer much insight as the view was blocked by the trains themselves." Adding to the mystery, officials said even the injured commuters have been unable to provide clear accounts of how they fell. "There is talk of passengers being flung and colliding with the opposite train, but nothing is confirmed yet," an official said. The incident occurred at the Diva end near Mumbra rilway station. Preliminary observations suggest the incident occurred when two fast locals—a Kasara-CSMT train and a CSMT-Karjat one—crossed each other ahead of the curve. It is suspected that shoulder bags or luggage brushing against passengers could have destabilised those on the edge. CR has not imposed any additional speed restrictions on the stretch following the accident. Of the 13 commuters involved in the mishap, 11 were aboard the Kasara-CSMT fast local, while two were on the CSMT-Karjat train. Of the deceased, Vicky Mukhyadal and Mayur Shah were in the CSMT-Karjat train, while Ketan Saroj and Rahul Gupta were travelling on the Kasara-CSMT local. An official said scratch marks were found on the exterior of the Kasara-CSMT train's last coach. "It appears that a passenger's bag may have grazed the coach of the opposite train, which may have triggered the incident," the official said. Meanwhile, the local staff from Mumbra railway station who attended to the mishap victims are likely to be called in for questioning. The railway police, guided by the assistant commissioner of police, railways, CSMT, on Tuesday inspected the spot where the victims were found following the mishap to look for clues. - Inputs by Manoj Badgeri
News18
10-06-2025
- News18
'2,000 Deaths Each Year': 2023 PIL In Bombay HC Highlighted Mumbai Suburban Railway Accidents
Before the Mumbai train accident, a 2023 PIL flagged thousands of deaths on Mumbai's rail network, prompting Bombay High Court to say that passengers were treated like "cattle". A PIL, filed in 2023, had drawn the Bombay High Court's attention to deaths happening every year in the suburban railway. The PIL was accessed exclusively by CNN-News18, in the backdrop of the suburban train accident in Thane's Mumbra on Monday, in which four people lost their lives. According to the contents, the 2023 PIL stated that 2,000 deaths happen every year on the suburban railway. It also mentioned that 2,590 commuters had lost their lives in 2023, which meant an average of seven deaths per day. Nearly 2,441 people were injured during the same period. A total of 1,650 deaths were reported on the Central Railways, while another 940 deaths were reported on the Western Railways. More than 1,800 deaths were reported on Mumbai local trains, it stated. After the PIL was submitted, the Bombay High Court had pulled up the railways and had directed general managers to look into the 'very serious issue'. The High Court also said the human passengers are carried like 'cattle" on local trains and that the officers at the highest level should be made accountable. Meanwhile, the Central Railway's principal chief safety officer (PCSO) said they would probe the suburban train accident in Thane's Mumbra. It is being treated as an incident and not an accident, CR chief public relations officer Swapnil Nila told PTI. PCSO CK Prasad visited the site earlier in the day and carried out an inspection, he added. 'Relevant information is being collected, and efforts to identify the root cause are being made. The principal chief safety officer (PCSO) will conduct an inquiry into the incident that occurred around 9.10 am," he said. 'From preliminary investigation, it is found that the passengers were travelling on the footboard," Nila said. To avoid similar incidents in the future, all new locals will be introduced with an automatic door closure system, while existing trains will be retrofitted with it, Nila said. A railway team reached the spot at Mumbra station in the evening and took measurements of the gap between the two fast lines (Up and Down) tracks there, other officials said. As per Central Railway officers, eight passengers were found injured in the gap between two parallel railway tracks between Mumbra and Diwa railway stations in the morning, while five other passengers onboard the CSTM-bound Kasara-10 local sustained minor injuries. Railway officers said the Karjat-11 local from CSMT was crossing the Kasara-10 local at Mumbra when the incident took place. It was first reported by the train manager of a Kasara-CSMT train, officials said. Emergency response teams, including ambulances and railway medical staff, were immediately dispatched to the site, and the injured passengers were swiftly transported to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Hospital, Kalwa, and Civil Hospital, Thane, he said.
Time of India
10-06-2025
- Time of India
Thane tragedy: CR probes if bags of commuters at train doors clashed, or metal hit a rake
8 commuters fall off two fast local trains at Mumbra, 4 die THANE: Commuters falling off overcrowded local trains is a tragedy Mumbai sees every day. But in an incident without precedent even given this unfortunate reality, eight commuters fell off two local fast trains passing each other at Thane's Mumbra station during the morning rush hour Monday. Four of them died and four others were injured. Five others inside one of the trains were also hurt. The incident occurred at 9.10am at the Diva end of the station when an overcrowded Kasara–CSMT train and a CSMT–Karjat local crossed each other between platforms 3 and 4. The stretch is one of the most congested on Central Railway, which caters to lakhs from Thane, Kalyan and far-flung suburbs like Karjat and Kasara. A preliminary probe by Thane GRP indicated the victims were travelling on footboards of the two trains, and their backpacks may have brushed against each other, causing some to lose balance and fall. "The exact cause is not confirmed. CCTV footage is being examined," said CR's chief public relations officer Swapnil Nila. Late evening, CR officials said they suspect a metal object may have brushed against the overcrowded CSMT-bound local, causing the tragedy. CR has launched an investigation into scratch marks found on the exterior of the last coach of that train. CR is ascertaining if the marks were sustained during the incident or were pre-existing. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch CFD với công nghệ và tốc độ tốt hơn IC Markets Đăng ký Undo Some activists said overcrowding combined with the platform curve may have led to eight commuters simultaneously falling off two local fast trains going in opposite directions at Mumbra station Monday morning. Central Railway, however, clarified the incident did not occur on the curve. Some speculated that scuffles inside compartments might have been a cause. About the scratch marks found on the exterior of the last coach of the CSMT-bound train involved in the incident, a CR official said the rake was taken to Kalwa car shed to ascertain if the marks were sustained during the incident or were pre-existing. Those dead were identified as Ketan Saroj (23), a BPO employee and resident of Ulhasnagar, Vicky Mukhyadal (34), a railway policeman returning home to Kalyan from duty, Rahul Gupta (27) from Diva, and Mayur Shah (44) from Thane. The nine injured were Priyanka Bhatia (26) from Shahad; Sneha Dhonde (21) from Titwala; Adesh Bhoir (26) from Kasara; Rihan Shaikh (26) from Bhiwandi; Tushar Bhagat (22) from Titwala; Manish Saroj (26) from Diva; Machhindra Gotarne (39) from Vashind; and Shiva Gavli (23) and Anil More (40). They were all admitted to Jupiter Hospital. It was not clear how many people fell from each of the trains, railway officials said. Of the four dead, though, Mukhyadal was in the Karjat-bound train and two others – Saroj and Gupta -- were in the CSMT-bound local; it is not yet clear which train Shah fell off. Sources said the guard of the Kasara–CSMT train raised an alarm after spotting passengers lying between the tracks. Eyewitnesses at Mumbra described a horrific scene with injured commuters lying in the gap between the up and down fast lines. Commuters and cops immediately jumped onto the tracks to help. Commuter Deepak Shirsat said crowding at Diva led to intense footboard pressure, causing his friend to fall. "We tried pulling the chain, but it didn't stop the train," he said. CR's chief PRO Nila said, "Of the nine injured, five were hurt while travelling inside the compartment, and four fell off the train. All were shifted to nearby hospitals." A CR official said, "This is an unheard-of incident in the history of Mumbai's suburban system. There are incidents of people falling down but these are isolated. It is shocking 8 people fell at the same time." He said the gap between two passing trains is 2 m or 6.5 ft. It means a person has to be hanging out by 3.5 ft to have collided with a passenger from opposite train. "This is indeed baffling," he said. The railways have now decided to introduce non-AC locals with automatic door closure and enhanced ventilation features by Jan 2026. Parallelly, they have initiated procurement of 238 AC locals. Tenders for AC rakes were floated and cancelled for "administrative reasons" two years ago. On the sharp curve theory, commuter activist Rafique Shaikh said, "Load often shifts to one side due to the curve, making it hard for footboard travellers to hold on." CM Devendra Fadnavis said railways have begun an investigation. State minister Girish Mahajan announced Rs 5 lakh compensation for kin of each of the deceased and free medical care for the injured.
