Passengers of Mumbai local trains intensify campaign for carshed local platform and safe railway commute

By Prathamesh, Convenor, Kalwa-Mumbra Railway Pravasi Suraksha Sangharsh Samiti

Mumbai’s local trains are called the lifeline of the city. Today, more than 75 lakh people—members of working class families—use the Mumbai local trains every day. They are the fastest and most economical way to reach one’s workplace, college, school, or hospital. However, traveling by trains has become extremely difficult today. Overcrowding has increased to such an extent that during peak hours in the mornings and evenings, people have to hang on by the doors with barely any space to stand—there are limits on the transport of cattle by railway, but no such rules apply to humans.

On 9 June 2025, a railway accident in Mumbra resulted in the death of five people and injuries to several others. Immediately following this, Kamgar Ekta Committee (KEC) organized a campaign for safe railway travel and collected signatures at several stations on the Mumbai local network. A report about this has been previously published on the AIFAP website (https://aifap.org.in/14259/). As the campaign gained momentum, many railway passengers expressed interest in participating. To ensure smooth conduct of the campaign, KEC took the initiative to form the Dombivli-Thakurli-Kopar Railway Pravasi Suraksha Sangharsh Samiti on 7 September 2025, and the Kalwa-Mumbra Railway Pravasi Suraksha Sangharsh Samiti on 12 October 2025.

Both committees meet regularly. At their meetings, the work done is evaluated and future plans are formulated. Leaflets for public distribution are prepared with everyone’s suggestions and approval. All expenses are met by collecting contributions from committee members, and accounts are presented to everyone in the meeting. Due to the active participation of both committees, several programs have been organized during this period.

According to newspaper and official sources, an average of 7 people died every day on the Mumbai local train network last year. Most passenger deaths occurred between Thane and Kalyan, which are suburbs of Mumbai. At Kalwa station near Thane, the problem is so severe that even an ant cannot enter the train during rush hour.

There is a carshed near Kalwa station where trains are brought in for maintenance. Trains that depart from the carshed in the morning reach a crossing and stop at a signal. While the train is waiting at the signal, passengers board it from the tracks—there is no platform here. Passengers do this because they have no other option. For the past 30-40 years, the people of Kalwa have been demanding that a platform should be built here so that passengers can safely board trains that depart from the carshed. Far from solving this problem, the railway administration is now trying to prevent people from boarding these trains by building a wall there.

That is why we are demanding that a home platform should be built for the local trains departing from Kalwa carshed and wall construction should be halted until this platform is built. Our other demands are:

• All trains should have 15 coaches.
• Modern signaling systems should be installed to reduce the time between two trains.
• New local trains should be purchased, increasing the number of trains by 50%.
• Sufficient numbers of railway employees, including motormen, station masters, track maintainers, etc., should be recruited.
• Basic facilities, such as clean drinking water, toilet facilities, stretcher hamaal (stretcher porters), emergency medical rooms, etc., should be provided at every station.
• An authorized station master should be appointed at every station. Adequate number of ticket windows should be opened.

When this campaign was launched in Kalwa, the demand for a platform for the carshed local train received widespread public support. Members of the Kalwa-Mumbra Sangharsh Samiti conducted signature campaigns at the station, in the carshed locals, and in several residential areas. We also went door-to-door in several residential buildings in Dombivli to collect signatures. On 12 November 2025, the Sangharsh Samiti submitted a letter of our demands, with signatures from over 2,500 people, to the Assistant Divisional Railway Manager (ADRM) at the DRM office of the Mumbai Division.

The railway campaign continued even after the letter was submitted. Rallies were held on various days in different parts of Kalwa. To date, five rallies have been held, and all have received enthusiastic support from the citizens of Kalwa. We have distributed leaflets several times inside the carshed and on the station premises. This campaign has captured people’s pulse. Demands regarding Kalwa station’s key demands have been submitted to the Station Master (Commercial), and we have conducted follow-ups several times.

During the campaign, preparations were underway for the municipal elections. The Sangharsh Samiti asked several candidates to publicize their views on railway problems and follow up on the letter to the DRM and Station Master. All of them positively supported our demands and promised to forward our letter to their party’s MP. Experience has shown that many promises are made during elections, but little on-ground action is taken. However, if the campaign remains active, some victories can be achieved.

While our country is considered the world’s largest democracy, in reality, there is no action taken when representatives fail to fulfill pre-election promises. Crores of rupees are spent to win elections. Although there are restrictions on how much individual candidates can spend for campaigning, political parties themselves can spend as much as they want. Where does this money come from? After winning elections, every elected government works for the same capitalist class from which they receive their funds, not for the working class.

Our railway safety campaign has kept the issue of railway safety in the spotlight. During this time, several plans have been announced to improve railway infrastructure. Platforms at several stations are being extended to accommodate 15-coach trains. Furthermore, after we submitted our letter of demands, the One-Rupee Clinic (emergency medical room) at Kalwa station, which had been closed for several months, has been reopened.

Experience has shown that as long as the working class struggles, it achieves some victories. As soon as the struggle weakens, the rights it has won are snatched away. In a country that launched the Mangalyaan, people are still not safe on the roads and trains. The reality is that train passengers are forced to travel in conditions worse than animals.

The Mumbai local train network and the entire Indian Railways are built with people’s tax money and the hard work and sweat of workers. Therefore, our demands are not alms, but our rights. It is the government’s responsibility to ensure the smooth operation of the railways and provide the necessary facilities. No government can shirk this responsibility.

All of us workers—whether we work in the railways or the power sector, in banks or hospitals, whether we are government employees or private employees—travel by train. But we have no role in deciding how the railways should be run, how much money should be spent, and where. Those who hold the power to make these decisions never travel by train. That is why the convenience of passengers is deliberately ignored. The excuse given to us is that there is no money to spend on passengers. However, we can see that there is enough money to waive off the loans of big capitalists. For example, in the five years from 2017-18 to 2021-22, approximately Rs 10 lakh crore of debt of the capitalist class had been written off.

The Sangharsh Samitis refuse to accept such excuses. Our campaign will continue.

Our unity is our only strength! If we unite and raise our voices, and keep them raised until victory, no force on earth can deprive us of our rights! We must build and strengthen our unity, transcending the barriers of party, union, language, religion, and all other affiliations. This is the only way to achieve our railway-related demands.

We request readers of AIFAP to join the campaign and strengthen it!