A tragic incident occurred on Friday evening at Ghatkopar railway station in eastern Mumbai, where a passenger lost his life after slipping from a moving local train while attempting to disembark. The incident took place at 8:02 PM on Platform 1, on the Central Line, as a train was heading from Kalyan to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT).
Eyewitnesses report that the man, whose identity remains unknown, lost his footing while getting off, fell onto the tracks, and sustained serious injuries. He was rushed to Rajawadi Hospital, but succumbed during treatment.
This marks yet another fatal safety lapse on Mumbai’s overburdened suburban rail network. Alarmingly, the incident comes just five days after a deadly mishap in Thane district, where four commuters died and six others were injured after falling from two overcrowded local trains traveling in opposite directions between Diva and Kopar stations. In that case, the victims were reportedly standing on the footboards, lost balance as the trains passed each other, and fell onto the tracks.
Railway Safety Measures Underway
In response to growing concerns over passenger safety:
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The Railway Board has decided that all new local train rakes under manufacture for Mumbai’s suburban network will come equipped with automatic doors.
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Additionally, existing rakes will be retrofitted with door-closing mechanisms to prevent people from boarding or alighting from moving trains.
These steps are seen as long-overdue interventions in Mumbai’s high-density railway system, where millions commute daily, often in extremely overcrowded conditions. However, rail safety experts note that while automated doors will help, they must be accompanied by:
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Public awareness campaigns
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Strict enforcement against footboard travel
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Improved train frequency to reduce overcrowding
As investigations into both incidents continue, calls are intensifying for urgent modernization of infrastructure and greater accountability from railway authorities to prevent such needless loss of life.
