The Central and Western Railway zones reported a decrease in the number of deaths over time.The Railways notified the Bombay High Court on Wednesday that over 52,300 people have passed away on Mumbai’s suburban train network in the previous nearly 20 years, according to Live Law.The high death rate among Mumbai local train commuters was being discussed by a bench led by Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya.
Yatin Jadhav, the petitioner, had highlighted a number of issues that contribute to fatalities on the suburban train system.
In response to orders the court had issued in June, the Western Railway and the Central Railway filed affidavits on Tuesday and Wednesday. Local trains in the Mumbai Metropolitan Area are run by the two railway zones. According to The Indian Express, almost 23,000 people lost their lives on Western Railway routes between June 2024 and 2005. Between June 2024 and June 2009, there were almost 29,300 fatalities on Central Railway lines.
According to India Today, the Western Railway told the court that fewer people had died in previous years. In 2023, 936 people had died and 984 had been injured, compared to 1,084 deaths and 1,517 injuries in 2016.
According to an affidavit obtained by India Today, Santosh Kumar Singh Rathore, the senior divisional security commissioner for the Western Railway, stated that while the administration is sensitive to every incident involving injury or death, its efforts will not be successful until the passengers cooperate better.
It further stated that no new services could be introduced and that more than 100% of the train’s capacity is now being used.
According to India Today, the Central Railway notified the court that there is an issue with widespread trespassing on the tracks.
The extra divisional railway manager (administration) of Central Railway’s Mumbai division, Shashi Bhushan, told the court that there is a considerable risk of mortality due to slums being too close to the railway tracks.
According to Central Railways, during the past 15 years, fewer people have died while the railway network’s capacity to carry passengers has grown.
1,782 people died and 1,614 people were injured in 2009. In 2023, these figures dropped to 1,221 fatalities and 938 injuries, according to the Central Railway.
According to The Indian Express, during the June hearing, the court ordered the general managers of the two railway zones to investigate the issue and requested affidavits regarding the precautions taken to prevent similar mishaps.
