Traveling in crowded trains and end-less wait for locals at platforms increase the stress level of commuters leading heart attacks
More than 15 per cent people, who became a statistic in the railway deaths register, did not die from being run over by trains or falling off them. They died because of heart attacks suffered inside trains or at the platforms while waiting for trains.
As many as 557 commuters, including 61 women, died of heart attacks on the Mumbai railway premises in 2013. The total number of people who died last year in train-related incidents in Mumbai was 3,506.
Out of total 557 deaths, 374 took place on the Central Railway. The remaining 183 occurred on Western Railway.
Interestingly, no woman commuter died at Dombivali, Karjat, Vashi, Andheri and Palghar last year.
While highest number of women (10) died at Kurla, Borivli and Vasai registered eight deaths each.
According to railway police, the death occurred while traveling on trains or on the station premises.
Dr Prafulla Kerkar, head of cardiology department at KEM hospital, said: "Travelling in public transport like train amounts to stress and stress is related to heart attacks. Anxiety of catching a train and reaching office increases the stress. It is important that railway stations have bare minimum resuscitation system to save the life of a person who suffers heart attack within an hour. Airports already have it."
The jury is out on it among railway officials.
A section of railway officials readily agreed that the dismal condition at railway stations, the crowd and late-running trains might be catalysts for triggering heart attack in people.
"The level of anxiety exhibited by certain passengers is indeed very high. This is evident when people are waiting for trains that run on longer suburban routes like Karjat, Khopoli and Virar etc. The passenger just does not want to miss these trains because the next one might be a good half an hour away. As crowd build, the pushing and shoving among passengers increases and with it increases anxiety levels," said an official.
However, there are others who say extensive studies needed to prove that the rapidly-declining suburban railway system is indeed a heart attack-inducing catalyst.
"Some of the dead might have been severe heart patients. For others it might just be a coincidence that they had an attack when they were at the railway station. It could have happened at a mall as well where the atmosphere is far more relaxed. But yes it is true that there is a pressing need to upgrade our stations and also our travelling condition so that people feel at least a minimal level of comfort," said an official.
Name of railway police stations Total death Male Female
1) CST 78 70 8
2) Dadar 25 19 6
3) Kurla 73 63 10
4) Thane 45 6 51
5) Dombivali 16 - 16
6) Kalyan 83 78 5
7) Karjat 3 - 3
8) Wadala 21 18 3
9) Vashi 8 8 -
10) Panvel 16 15 1
11) Churchgate 8 7 1
12) Mumbai Central 26 23 3
13) Bandra 21 19 2
14) Andheri 17 17 -
15) Borivali 54 46 8
16) Vasai 46 38 8
17) Palghar 11 11 -
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