Railway Board Mandates Automatic Doors on Mumbai Locals Following Mumbra Train Accident

Following the tragic train incident near Mumbra station in Thane district that claimed five lives and left seven injured, the Indian Railway Board has announced key safety upgrades for the Mumbai Suburban Rail network. All newly manufactured trains for the region will now come equipped with automatic door-closing mechanisms. In addition, rakes currently in service will be retrofitted with the same technology.

“All rakes under manufacturing for Mumbai Suburban will have automatic door closer facilities. All rakes in service will be redesigned and door closure facility will be provided in these rakes of Mumbai Suburban,” said Dilip Kumar, Executive Director (Information & Publicity) of the Railway Board.

The accident, which occurred during peak hours on Monday between Diva and Mumbra stations, did not involve a collision, according to railway officials. Instead, it is suspected that passengers standing on the footboards of two trains running in opposite directions became entangled with one another, causing multiple people to fall.

“This is not a collision. In this incident, the passengers travelling on footboards in trains in opposite directions got entangled,” explained Swapnil Dhanraj Nila, Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO) of Central Railway. “The distance between the two trains is usually 1.5 to 2 metres, but when the tracks curve, a slight tilt occurs, and this could be an additional factor that contributed to the accident,” he added.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis expressed grief over the incident and confirmed that a formal inquiry is underway to establish the precise cause. “The incident in which a total of eight passengers fell from a local train between Diva and Mumbra stations, resulting in some fatalities, is extremely unfortunate,” Fadnavis said. “I offer my heartfelt condolences to the deceased. The local administration is coordinating efforts on the ground. I pray to the Almighty for the swift recovery of the injured. The railway department has initiated an investigation to determine the exact cause of the incident.”

Mumbra Police confirmed that emergency responders arrived at the scene shortly after receiving the alert. “We received the information by 9.15 am and rushed to the spot to find about seven people lying injured, and at least five dead,” said Anil Shinde, Senior Police Inspector at Mumbra police station. “The injured and the deceased were rushed to the nearby Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Hospital in Kalwa. Four of the injured people went to Jupiter Hospital by themselves.”

The incident has reignited political outrage over Mumbai’s strained suburban rail infrastructure. Harshwardhan Sapkal, President of the Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC), sharply criticised the government, alleging years of negligence and corruption. “These deaths are not accidental. These people became victims at the hands of the government,” Sapkal stated. “For the past 11 years, the people of Maharashtra and Mumbai have been listening to empty promises about improved infrastructure and smoother commutes for Mumbaikars.”

He further accused ruling officials and private contractors of profiteering at the cost of commuter safety. “In the name of development and facilities, it has become a game of awarding tenders and collecting commissions. The ruling officials and contractors have grown richer through this nexus, while ordinary citizens are paying for this corruption with their lives,” he added.​