Mumbai: The Bombay High Court on Friday voiced grave concern over the “alarming and disturbing situation” on Mumbai’s suburban railway system, where nearly 10 deaths occur each day. The court suggested that the Railways consider installing automatic closing doors on trains to prevent passengers from falling out of overcrowded compartments.
Calling the June 9 Mumbra accident—which claimed five lives after commuters fell from overcrowded coaches—“unfortunate,” the court said such incidents should never happen.
A bench of Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice Sandeep Marne directed the Central and Western Railways to submit a detailed, time-bound safety roadmap at the next hearing on July 14, while hearing a public-interest litigation filed by commuter activist Yatin Jadhav.
After reviewing the Railways’ affidavit, the bench noted that 3,588 passengers died on the two suburban systems in 2024—“an average of ten deaths per day.”
“What disturbs us is that in 2024, 3,588 deaths took place… which averages to 10 deaths per day. So, every day ten Mumbaikars die while travelling on the train. These deaths occur because commuters fall from trains, are hit by poles, or get trapped in the gap between the footboard and the platform. This is an alarming situation. This is your data,” the judges remarked.
They added that while the Railways had shown a reduction in deaths compared with previous years, it was not enough. “Though you (Railways) have projected a 46 percent reduction in deaths compared with 2009, it is not sufficient,” the court underlined.
Additional Solicitor-General Anil Singh, representing the Union government, said a “high-level monitoring committee” is working toward a “zero-death mission” on both railways. A separate “multi-disciplinary team,” headed by the Central Railway’s Senior Divisional Safety Officer, is investigating the Mumbra incident.
Singh emphasised that authorities were improving the network daily but faced constraints. “Major work can be done only at night; if trains stop, all of Mumbai comes to a standstill,” he said, adding that the committee has suggested building partitions or walls near the tracks and fencing to prevent trespassing and track-crossing.
Platform congestion is also being addressed. “As platforms become overcrowded, we have shifted certain stalls away from stations. Many measures are underway,” Singh noted.
The court remained unconvinced and urged the Railways to explore installing automatic doors. “This (Mumbra incident) should not have happened. Obviously, the measures you have taken are not sufficient,” it said. “You should provide automatic doors that close. This is a layperson’s suggestion; we are not experts in rail safety.”
When Singh replied that the Railways were examining the idea, the Chief Justice said, “Whatever is required is to be done, do it. This can’t go on.”
The court ordered the Railways to disclose the names and qualifications of the members of both the high-level monitoring committee and the Mumbra inquiry committee. It has also directed to place every safety recommendation on record, and specify clear timelines for implementation. The petitioner may also submit suggestions to the committee.
“We are not rail experts,” Chief Justice Aradhe observed. “Tell us precisely what has to be done, and we will ensure you adhere to the timeline.”
The PIL argues that Mumbai’s local-train system—ranked the world’s second-busiest after Tokyo—must adopt global best practices, including platform-screen doors, wider footholds, and comprehensive fencing, to stem the daily death toll.
