In Mumbai, taking the local train is a popular mode of transport among the city's residents. However, it is not uncommon to witness arguments or even fights between passengers standing at the gates of the compartment. Recently, a video of a scuffle between passengers at Diva station adjacent to Mumbai has gone viral on social media. The debate escalated, and a fight broke out between the passengers, causing chaos on the platform.
The Problem of Blocking Door
The problem of commuters blocking the entrance and exit of local trains has been a long-standing issue in Mumbai. A report published in the Free Press Journal mentioned that before the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of average daily local passengers on the Central Railway (CR) was around 44 lakh and door-blocking was a common issue basis which special teams were formed by the zonal railways to take action against habitual offenders. However, during the pandemic, due to travel restrictions, the number of passengers decreased, and the problem was resolved temporarily. But now that travel has fully resumed, the number of daily local passengers on CR has reached up to 40 lakh, resulting in an increase in the crowd on trains.
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The Violent Incident at Diva Station
The same problem resulted in a violent incident on Tuesday, April 4, 2023, at Diva station on the Central Railway where two passengers were standing on the footboard, preventing commuters from both deboarding and entering the Karjat-bound train at around 7.10 PM. According to a senior official, many railway passengers board trains at Ambernath, Titwala, and Kalyan station in the morning and CSMT and Byculla in the evening but refuse to move in, even though their destination station is far off. This way, they block the entry of other passengers at other stations.
Special Drive Against Footboard Travellers and Legal Consequences
To address the issue of door-blocking and footboard travelling, the Central Railway had proposed a special drive against footboard travellers. Teams of Railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel will be deployed in crowded local trains (in civil clothes) as well as stations to identify those standing on footboards and blocking the entry and exit of other passengers.
Travelling on the footboard is an offence under Section 156 of the Railway Act. Anyone caught travelling on the footboard or blocking the door will be punished as per the law with the punishment leading to imprisonment for a term which may extend to three months or a fine would be imposed extending to five hundred rupees. As per officials, in many cases, both imprisonment and fine is applicable.
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Standing on the footboard of local trains in Mumbai is a common practice that creates problems for other passengers and can lead to dangerous situations. It is important to adhere to the rules and regulations set by the railways to ensure the safety of all commuters. It is also the responsibility of every passenger to cooperate with the authorities and follow the guidelines.
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