12 people died in mishaps at Mumbai's suburban rail tracks on November 12

Railway data has revealed 12 people died on railway tracks due to various mishaps on November 12. In the past one week alone, 64 people have died on Mumbai's suburban railway tracks. While most them died under the wheels of an oncoming train while crossing the tracks, others fell off moving trains or dashed against a signal pole while hanging precariously. Some of them also died of falling in the gap between a train and a platform while trying to alight or board a train.

On November 12, apart from the 12 people who died, five were injured in separate accidents. As per statistics, three deaths each were reported from Thane and Kalyan, two from Wadala, and one each from Kurla, Dombivali, Mumbai Central, and Bandra.

The recent mishaps have also revealed people's tendency to put their security at peril. Take for instance the incident that took place in Dadar, where 24-year-old Gautam Tati, who had luggage on him, alighted from a moving train. He slipped and fell into the gap, but survived miraculously because of a passerby who pulled him out in the nick of time, even as the train had started moving. Though the passersby rescued Gautam in time, not everyone is as lucky as him.

People care little about their own lives while travelling by trains or at railway stations. The Railways have been advising people to be more cautious.

"People act carelessly while boarding or alighting from a moving train or even crossing tracks. They should realise that it can cost them their life," said a CR official.

Western Railway blames people's habit of crossing tracks despite having FOBs as one of the main reasons for the spurt in the number of casualties.

"We have been building more and more FOBs, lifts, and escalators, yet people cross tracks to go to a different platform. There are FOBs that interconnect one another for smoother passage," said a Western Railway official. There are 17 different sections divided on Central and Western Railways, which cover both main and harbour lines. The railway police monitors the death and injury numbers everyday.

Passenger bodies are now demanding staggered office timings in the city to reduce overcrowding, which will help bring down the number of such mishaps.

Kailash Verma, member, Mumbai Rail Pravasi Sangh, said: "Various passenger associations have been organising events to spread awareness on safe travel. Even the railway administration participates in the same. It is also the duty of the commuters to value their own lives. The government should seriously look into staggered office timings to reduce overcrowding at railway stations and trains at peak hours."