Bombay High Court Laments 'Cattle-Style' Commute in Mumbai Trains

The Bombay High Court criticized the overcrowded conditions in Mumbai's local trains, likening it to commuting like cattle. The court held railway officials accountable and demanded concrete measures to reduce accidents and fatalities, expressing concern over the high number of commuter deaths.

The Bombay High Court expressed its deep concern on Wednesday over the appalling conditions under which Mumbai's commuters travel in local trains, describing it as akin to cattle transport. The court's remarks came during the hearing of a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) addressing the alarming number of fatalities and injuries among train passengers. Chief Justice D K Upadhyaya and Justice Amit Borkar stated that they will hold top officials of both the Central and Western Railways accountable for what they termed as a 'pathetic' situation, urging immediate action to resolve the issue.

Filed by petitioner Yatin Jadhav, the PIL highlighted an urgent matter that the court deemed 'very, very serious.' The bench criticized the railway authorities' failure to effectively address the overcrowding and its deadly consequences. 'We feel ashamed at the way commuters are forced to travel. You carry people like cattle,' the court remarked sharply. The judges directed the general managers of the Western and Central Railways to submit affidavits detailing implemented safety measures, personally vetted by them, in response to the crisis within eight weeks.

Statistics presented to the court revealed a grim scenario: 2,590 commuters lost their lives on the tracks in 2023, averaging seven deaths daily. Among the deceased, 1,650 were killed on the Central Railway route and 940 on the Western Railway. While the Western Railway's advocate, Suresh Kumar, mentioned initiatives such as barricades and foot-over-bridges, the bench questioned their efficacy in curbing fatalities. 'It's not about following orders, but whether these measures have saved lives,' the bench emphasized. The court stressed that railways must move beyond just increasing train services and instead focus on comprehensive solutions.

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