Mumbai: Monsoon has kept its date and pact with Mumbai: since June 1, the city has received over 885.8 mm of rain, including 153.3mm in eight hours ending 5.30 pm on July 5, itself. As the India Meteorological Department (IMD) sounding an orange alert for today, the problems faced by commuters of the suburban railways on the Central, Western and Harbour lines will be compounded by a lack of roof cover over parts of some platforms across stations.
HT visited nine stations — Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT), Kurla, Parel, Chinchpokli, Vidyavihar, Byculla, Sandhurst Road, Masjid Bunder and Vasai Road — and found that in many places, commuters were drenched just boarding trains, as certain platforms did not have a continuous roof cover, or it was damaged.
Ravi Prajapati, a student of Mumbai University’s department of mass media, travels from Dombivili to Kurla every day. His commute leaves him wet and cold on rainy days because platform 1 on Kurla station does not have a continuous roof. The area below the under-construction bridge is open to the elements.
“The missing roof is a big problem for me. In the past couple of days, I’ve been reaching my class totally drenched. My umbrella can do little to save me [even for that short duration] when I get off the train and make my way to an auto,” said Prajapati.
The problem lies in smaller stations too, like Chinchpokli station: on platform 1, the roof shed is missing around where the middle bogey of the first class ladies compartment comes to a halt.
“I’ve seen senior citizens struggle because they can’t sit and wait for the train while it rains,” said Monali Shetye, an architecture student who travels between Ambernath and Chinchpokli daily.
It’s not as if the Indian Railways isn’t aware of the issue. In April and May, the Central and Western Railways (CR, WR) conducted a pre-monsoon survey to repair leakages in roofs. While the CR awarded contracts for repairs in nearly 22 railway stations, the WR awarded contracts for repairs in 55 stations (suburban and outstation). The Mumbai Rail Vikas Corporation (MRVC), a joint venture of the Indian Railways and Maharashtra government, which constructs new railway stations and amenities like foot over bridges and roof sheds, has not undertaken any repair or construction work this year, officials said.
Nearly 3.5 million passengers travel every day on CR’s suburban network which includes mainline, harbour and trans-harbour railway lines. There are 81 suburban railway stations on CR alone, 32 on the harbour line and 37 stations on the WR.
“The work for filling up of rooftop gaps on the platforms was undertaken through April and May. At present four suburban railway stations and four non-suburban railway stations [outside MMR] have such patches of missing roof structures,” a senior central railway official said.
“A holistic plan was worked out before monsoon and work for the same is almost complete. To avoid inconvenience to the commuters, even one or two metres gap in the roof is being filled and will be completed in the next few days,” said Shivaji Sutar, chief public relation officer, CR.
As commuters continue to face trouble, the suburban railway commuter association, a passenger association, is compiling feedback from commuters to provide a comprehensive list to the CR and WR.
“Passengers are likely to face it throughout the monsoon as the railway authorities have not worked on roofs of all suburban railway stations. We have begun a survey and will submit our report to the railway authorities soon,” said Lata Argade, general secretary of the association.
Read a ground report from six of the most affected local train platforms.
Kurla
Kurla railway station is a hub for passengers travelling on the central line towards Kalyan, Karjat and Kasara. It also houses the harbour line with trains heading towards Belapur and Panvel. Nearly 300,000 passengers use this station, with eight platforms for suburban trains, every day.
Parts of the roof on platform 5 and 6 (on the central line) are missing due to which passengers end up getting drenched on rainy days. Last week, the railway authorities installed a roof shed on a portion covering platform 1 (also central line).
Last week, Pradip Kumar, a salesperson working in a private company, slipped and injured himself due to rainwater that had collected on platform 5. “Parts of roof shed are missing on platform number 5 at Kurla railway station. I slipped and fell,” said Kumar, who travels between CST and Kurla every day.
CR officials said the areas in both platforms have been identified and the cover shed work was likely to be completed in a week’s time.
Parel
At least 250,000 passengers use Parel and the adjoining Prabhadevi platforms, both of which cater to the office district of Lower Parel. Together, there are four platforms on the two adjoining stations. On platform 3, commuters seeking to catch the train heading towards Kalyan must walk at least 100 yards in the open as the roof on this portion is missing. This ladies compartment of the train stops at this end of the platform.
Aishwarya Pewal, who works in a private company in Worli, takes the train to Parel from Panvel. She avoids getting into the ladies compartment for this very reason. “I do not board the ladies’ compartment of the local train. I have been drenched while travelling and have to use an umbrella inside the station. The railway authorities should immediately get a shed for the platform as women commuters suffer,” she said.
Railway officials said that a new platform was commissioned in 2018 and work on installation of a roof shed on the platform towards CSMT end and work will be started post monsoon. However, the roof shed on the CSMT side will only come up at the platform in 2023.
Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT)
The CST station is one of the nodal stations of the city’s suburban network. Not only does the CR have its headquarters here, it also caters to 300,000 passengers every day, on the suburban network — central and harbour — which comprises seven platforms. The CST is also the hub of several outstation trains that leave from 11 platforms. On platform 3, a part of the roof is missing.
Railway officials have stated as the schedule of dimension of the platform is different and the distance of the platform and track is less. The railways are looking at options to provide cover shed on the missing parts of the platform. The work will start post monsoon and is likely to be completed by December.
“I travel from CSMT to Thane every day and take the middle foot overbridge at the terminus. The water enters on the platform and people have to stand with umbrellas. I take the middle as it is easier to commute outside the railway platform,” said Ashish Poojari who works in a private company and travels everyday between CSMT and Thane.
Masjid Bunder
Masjid Bunder, one of the oldest stations in the city — it was opened in 1877 — caters largely to people working in the business district around Masjid Bunder, Sandhurst Road and Kalbadevi. It is almost always crowded during the peak hours of the morning and evening, but sees a lull in the afternoons. However, passenger associations have routinely had to take up the issue of missing patches of roofs on platform 3 and 4. When asked the railway authorities have stated that as the tracks are near to the platform entire cover shed on the railway platforms will not be available. They have started work on installing structures (temporary or permanent) that will provide cover shed to the platform. The work will be completed in 2023.
“We have consistently raised the issue of no roof shed at Masjid Bunder railway station with the station master and ticket checking staff at the station. As a critical station for its business district it is a major concern as passengers have no roof shed area on chunks of the railway platforms,” said Gayatri Mhetre who works in a private company and travels between Masjid Bunder and Ghatkopar railway station every day.
Vasai Road
Nearly 50,000 passengers use the six platforms of Vasai Road railway station on the Western Railway. The station caters to local and outstation train passengers. People arriving in Mumbai de-board at Vasai railway station and take local trains towards different parts of Mumbai on the Western Railway route.
On platform 2, part of the roof cover over the shed has been missing and a similar issue is at the extended platform number four and five of the Vasai Road railway station.
Railway authorities have stated that work at providing roof at Vasai Road railway station is likely to start next week and will be completed by the end of the month.
“Passengers have stated that it is difficult to get inside a train during peak hours as we get drenched due to rain water through the gaps between the roof,” said Vallabh Mayekar who works in a private company and commutes every day in the morning and evening between Vasai and Andheri railway stations.
Sandhurst Road
Located on the harbour line, the two platforms station caters to nearly 50,000 passengers every day and has patches of roof shed missing on which platform number 1. Several passengers have raised concerns over water entering local train compartments.
The railway authorities said that they were making temporary shed arrangements in areas that do not have patches of roofs missing on platform number 2.
“Platform room over shed is missing at Sandhurst road station on platform number 2 and as the train arrives at the platform the water enters the compartment. I am a pharmacist t JJ hospital and have fallen sick after being drenched by the rain water entering the local train compartment,” said Dakshat Kadam a pharmacist working at JJ hospital and travels between Vashi and Sandhurst Road railway station.