Mumbai locals to get automatic doors: BIG decision from Railway board after Mumbra tragedy

The tragic incident in Mumbra, where eight passengers lost their lives after falling out of an overcrowded train, has prompted the Railway Board to take quick decisions regarding safety, according to an ANI report.

The Railway Board on June 9 took two big decisions:

• All rakes under manufacturing for Mumbai Suburban will have automatic door-closing mechanisms, and
• All rakes in service will be redesigned and door closure facilities will be provided in these rakes of the Mumbai Suburban local line, the report said.

Further details about the timeline of implementation, budget allocation, and design plans were not immediately available.

Mumbra tragedy — All we know so far

• Eight passengers fell off an overcrowded local train near Mumbra railway station in Maharashtra. “There has been an incident where eight people travelling on local trains from Mumbra to Diva fell down,” an official said.
• The train was travelling towards Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus in Mumbai (CSMTM) from Thane's Mumbra railway station. According to the Central Railways, “The reason for the accident is believed to be excessive crowd.”
• Those injured have been taken to the nearest hospital. The Central Railways said the investigation into the accident has begun. “The railway administration and police have reached the spot. Local services have also been affected by the incident,” it added.

• Giving more details, Swapnil Dhanraj Nila, the Chief Public Relations Officer of the Central Railway, said the mishap occurred after people travelling on the footboard of the two trains collided.
• Nila said it was “primarily informed” that there were two trains–one travelling towards Kasara and another travelling towards CSMTM–and people who were travelling on the footboard of each train collided and fell down.
• He added that the guard of a Kasara-bound train reported about the injured passengers along the trackside to the control room at around 9.30 am.

(With inputs from ANI)