Members of Parliament Dr. Shrikant Shinde (Kalyan Lok Sabha) and Naresh Mhaske (Thane Lok Sabha) recently met Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw in New Delhi | File Image
In a bid to enhance safety, comfort, and convenience for railway commuters in Mumbai, Thane, and surrounding suburbs, Members of Parliament Dr. Shrikant Shinde (Kalyan Lok Sabha) and Naresh Mhaske (Thane Lok Sabha) recently met Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw in New Delhi. They submitted a detailed memorandum outlining various demands aimed at improving railway services in the region.
The key demands include introducing more special local train services for women, increasing seating capacity in first-class compartments for women, ensuring the presence of female security personnel in women’s coaches during early morning and night hours, and upgrading sanitation facilities at all stations, including well-maintained women’s restrooms.
Additionally, the MPs have pushed for the immediate reopening of One Rupee Clinics at railway stations, the installation of more escalators and lifts at stations in Thane, Navi Mumbai, Mira-Bhayandar, and Kalyan, and free medical treatment for all accident victims at both government and private hospitals. They have also urged the railway ministry to expedite the completion of railway flyovers and underpass projects in the Thane district, accelerate the proposed new railway station between Thane and Mulund, and enhance overall commuter safety.
Currently, a total of ten ladies’ special trains operate on the Western Railway, including six during the morning peak hours in the up direction and four during the evening peak hours in the down direction. These include two fast and eight slow services.
“Ladies’ seating capacity in a 12-car normal local train is 244 in second class and 52 in first class, out of a total seating capacity of 1,170. This means more than 25% of seats are earmarked and dedicated for women commuters,” said an official of the Western Railway, adding that women commuters constitute almost 24% of total passengers. This indicates that the seat allocation is in line with their total proportion.
Similarly, on Central Railway (CR), apart from around half a dozen partial women’s special suburban trains (with three coaches reserved for women), four fully women’s special local services are also running on the harbour and main lines.
According to sources, the railway minister responded positively to the MPs’ demands and assured them that a structured action plan would be developed to address these concerns.
Earlier, both MPs had highlighted the need for additional train services and infrastructure improvements for commuters in Thane, Kalyan, Bhiwandi, and Palghar. Following their representations, they took the matter directly to Minister Vaishnaw, seeking immediate action.
