Last year, 3,425 people died on the tracks. This year that figure has already crossed 3,000.
With nearly 10 people dying on the railway tracks in Mumbai every day and many among them falling off overcrowded local trains, the Bombay High Court on Wednesday came down heavily on the Railways.
The court asked the Railways to prevent unlimited boarding on trains to reduce overcrowding on a particular train during peak hour.
It also asked the Railways to ensure policemen are posted at sensitive stations to prevent entry in crowded trains. The Maharashtra government has also been asked to consider changing office timings to prevent overcrowding in suburban local trains at peak hour.
The court's suggestions came while hearing a Public Interest Litigation or PIL on the issue. The court also asked the Railways to replace the bare steel rods at the entrance of bogies with rubber surfaced installations so that the hands of commuters do not slip and they do not fall off the trains while travelling on footboards.
A division bench of Justice Naresh Patil and Justice SB Shukre made the suggestions to the State and Railways to curb the spike in number of accidents taking place on local trains in the city, which are considered the financial capital's lifeline.
The court went on to ask whether the cost of human life is more important or not while suggesting the change in working hours. Last year, 3,425 people died on the tracks. This year that figure has already crossed 3,000.