23,473 killed by Mumbai suburban trains in 11 years

Thane: Train accidents on suburban Mumbai local routes has claimed 23,473 lives in the past 11 years, information sought under the RTI has revealed.

"As per information given by Central Railway, in the last 11 years (till 2012) a total of 23,473 people lost their lives in various train accidents on suburban Mumbai routes," RTI activist and president of Thane District Railway Passengers Association, Om Prakash Sharma, who sought this information from Central Railway, told reporters here on Thursday. "Out of the total number of victims, 14,554 were killed while they were crossing the tracks," Sharma said. The Mumbai Central Railway suburban locals run on various routes between the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus and Karjat, Kasara, Panvel, among others. Sharma said that 4,561 commuters died after they fell from speeding trains; 253 died after being hit by poles located along the tracks, while 90 people died by falling in the gap between the train and the platform. The death toll on account of other accidents involving the local trains was 4,015, he added. The number of persons injured in the suburban train accidents during this period was 11,981, he said. According to him, the information also revealed that 2,536 people died on the Western Railway`s suburban route between Churchgate and Virar in 2009-2012. "Almost 70 per cent of those injured in the train accidents succumb to injuries later. The deaths and injuries on the Mumbai suburban routes is a matter of concern and we have urged the railway authorities to take corrective steps in this regard," Sharma said, adding that many times it is the mistake of people, who despite appeals, cross the tracks. PTI