In the wake of a tragic accident that claimed four lives and left nine injured after they fell off two moving and overcrowded local trains in Thane district on Monday morning, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) president Raj Thackeray has triggered a controversy by blaming the influx of migrants from other states to Mumbai for the “collapse” of the railway system.
“A flood of people coming to (Mumbai) from outside led to the collapse of the railway system. But everyone is busy campaigning for elections,” he told reporters in Pune.
“Accidents involving local trains happen every day. It’s not only about the railway system. All our cities are in a mess. There are no proper roads, and traffic snarls are a regular feature in several cities including Mumbai and Pune. A fire engine can’t reach in time if a blaze breaks out,” Raj Thackeray added.
He also questioned the rationale for demanding the installation of automatic door closure mechanisms in local trains, considering the rush of commuters.
Notably, NCP (SP) president Sharad Pawar has appealed to the Central Railway administration to implement measures such as installing automatic doors in suburban trains in view of overcrowding.
According to preliminary reports, some commuters fell on the tracks when two local trains were crossing a sharp bend on the Diva and Kopar route in opposite directions.
Raj Thackeray further questioned the outcome of foreign tours of ministers and politicians, saying: “At least bring back some ideas after visiting foreign countries. “
What happened in suburban railway mishap?
An eyewitness to the horrific suburban railway mishap in Thane said the chain of events began after someone in the coach ahead of his either fell after hitting a wall or “something hit our compartment”, reported news agency PTI.
This eyewitness, a Bhiwandi resident, had boarded the Kasara-CSMT train at Kalyan station.
“The incident happened when the train reached Mumbra station. Someone from the coach ahead of ours fell off after hitting a wall or something hit our coach. At that time, three-four people from our coach fell down and some from other coaches also fell. I think 7-8 persons lost balance and fell onto the tracks,” he said.
The incident occurred between Diva and Kopar railway stations when the train was going towards Kasara, a police official said.
The passengers fell probably after commuters hanging from the footboard of two overcrowded trains and their backpacks brushed against each other as the trains passed in opposite directions, railway officials said.