Mumbai’s suburban railway tracks witnessed a slight decline in fatalities in 2024, according to data released by the Government Railway Police (GRP) in response to a Right to Information (RTI) query. The figures reveal that 2,468 people lost their lives on the tracks in 2024, a modest decrease from the 2,590 fatalities recorded in 2023. However, the number of injured persons has gone up during the period
In 2023, a total of 2,590 people died on railway tracks in the suburban section of Mumbai, including 940 on the Western Railway (WR) section and 1,650 on the Central Railway (CR) section. In 2024, the number of deaths on WR and CR sections were 935 and 1,533, respectively.
The data also revealed that the number of deaths due to line crossing also decreased in 2024. In 2023, 1,227 people died while crossing railway tracks, while in 2024, this number reduced to 1,151.
The introduction of air-conditioned trains with closed doors has also shown benefits, with a decrease in the number of deaths due to falling from crowded trains. In 2023, 590 passengers died after falling from crowded trains on the CR and WR sections, which decreased by 20 (number reduced up 570) in 2024.
According to GRP, the number of persons injured on the track of suburban railway station increased in 2024. According to data provided by the Government Railway Police, in 2023, a total of 2,441 people were reported injured on the tracks of the suburban railway section of MMR. In 2024, the number of injured persons increased to 2,697.
When contacted, a senior railway official said, “Now, the impact of the ongoing development work is starting to yield fruits. The introduction of closed-door air-conditioned local trains, construction of additional foot overbridges, and installation of lifts and escalators have not only improved the travelling experience of passengers but also helped curb deaths on the tracks.”
However, passenger activist Samir Zaveri, who sought the details under RTI, expressed dissatisfaction with the progress. “The railways must take the thousands of deaths and injuries on Mumbai’s suburban railway section seriously and come up with a time-bound solution for prevention,” he said. “With the use of latest technology, it is possible to achieve zero deaths.”
