‘Passengers carried like cattle’: Bombay HC ‘ashamed’ on condition of commuters in Mumbai local trains

During the hearing, advocate Rohan Shah, representing the petitioner, noted that 2,590 commuters died on the Mumbai Suburban Rail in 2023, about seven per day. (Image:Pixabay)

The Bombay High Court, expressing concern over the alarming number of daily deaths on the Mumbai Suburban railway system, said on Wednesday that it may establish a committee of experts to conduct a high-level study on the matter.

The court also requested Additional Solicitor General Devang Vyas to assist on behalf of the Union of India – Railways.

A division bench of Chief Justice Devendra Upadhyaya and Justice Amit Borkar called for accountability at the highest level and stressed the need for effective solutions, rejecting the idea that the large number of commuters could be used as an excuse.

“This time, we are going to make the officers accountable at the highest level. The situation here in Bombay is pathetic. You (Railways) can’t feel happy by proclaiming that you are commuting 35,00,000 people a day. You can’t also say that considering the number of passengers in Mumbai, you are doing a good job”, the bench said, as quoted by Live Law.

The court was hearing a public interest litigation highlighting the systemic issues causing these fatalities and proposing measures for improvement. The bench remarked that passengers are carried like “cattle or even worse” on Mumbai local trains.

“Matter needs to be taken care of. The matter needs to be studied by the General Manager himself…we need a very robust system to be in place so that this can be checked. It’s a shame. Sorry to use this word. I feel ashamed for the manner in which the passengers are made to commute…”, Chief Justice Upadhyay added.

The court ordered the general managers of Western and Central Railways to nominate high-level officers to file affidavits addressing the issues raised in the petition. The general managers must personally vet the affidavits before submitting them to the court. These affidavits should detail existing measures and suggest new solutions to mitigate these fatalities.

During the hearing, advocate Rohan Shah, representing the petitioner, noted that 2,590 commuters died on the Mumbai Suburban Rail in 2023, about seven per day. He said the primary causes of these deaths include trespassing on tracks, passengers falling from moving trains, and incidents involving gaps or poles, including electrocution. These three factors alone account for 1,895 deaths annually, nearly five per day.