30-year-old woman falls off footboard of crowded train near Dombivli, dies

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A 30-year-old woman on her way to work was killed after she fell off a crowded train between Dombivli and Kopar stations during morning peak hours on Monday — in another incident that puts overcrowding in Mumbai locals in the spotlight.

Savita Naik was taken to Shastri Nagar hospital in Dombivli, but declared dead on arrival. The stretch between Dombivli and Kopar stations, where Naik fell off, has seen several such accidents over the past two years owing to rising crowds at Dombivli station.

At least 3.5 lakh commuters travel from the station every day, most of them during the morning hours. The government railway police (GRP) at Dombivli station said Naik was travelling on the footboard, as the train was packed. “Naik boarded a fast local around 9am. She fell between the Dombivli and Kopar stations half-an-hour later,” said an officer from the Dombivli GRP.

“We rushed her to the hospital and informed her family. An accidental death report case has been registered,” said S Pawar, senior police inspector, Dombivli GRP. Naik, a resident of Dombivli (East), lived with her parents and brother. She worked for a private firm near Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT), the police said.

Naik’s father, Fakira Naik, blamed the lack of services for his daughter’s death. “My daughter lost her life because the train was crowded. Every day, commuters risk their lives travelling in such overcrowded local trains,” he said.

GRP officers confirmed that trains at Dombivli see large crowds every day. “CSMT-bound locals, especially the fast trains from Badlapur, Ambernath, Karjat and Kasara, are already packed when they arrive at Dombivli station. Commuters struggle to board the trains and few prefer to wait for the next one,” said a senior GRP officer, not wishing to be named.

“Many choose to travel hanging on the footboard of compartments, so even a slight jerk from inside the packed train could cause them to fall off,” the officer said. Divya Acharya, 29, who travels from Dombivli to Dadar every day said it’s always a challenge to travel from Dombivli station during the morning peak hours. “All trains moving towards Dadar and CSMT are packed when it reaches at Dombivli. How long is a commuter expected to wait for a less crowded train to arrive?”

Railway activist Nandkumar Deshmukh, from the Thane Passengers’ Association, said, “It is high time the Railways implemented measures to curb such accidents. We have written to the administration several times, requesting that they increase services from stations such as Dombivli, Kalyan and Thane, and run 15-car local trains especially during peak hours, but it all seem to fall on deaf ears.” According to GRP data, 2,981 commuters were killed in suburban train accidents in 2018. Of these, 1,619 died while trying to cross tracks while 711 died falling off moving trains.