Mumbai: Be it getting crushed by trains while crossing tracks illegally or falling from trains when leaning from crowded carriages, Mumbai's local railway system continues to be one of the world's deadliest commute. Nearly 3,014 passengers have lost their lives on the tracks on the western, central and harbour suburban services in the city in 2017, according to the Government Railway Police (GRP).
But now, the Central Railway has installed blue indicators at the entrance of suburban train coaches to warn passengers not to climb onto trains that are about to depart, in a bid to enhance passenger safety.
"Visual Indicator emits a beam of light over the entrance area, when train starts, taking connection from the Guard who gives the beat to start the train and the commuter is alerted and warned of the imminent danger of being too close to the train on the platform."
"Central Railway have installed a blue light visual indicator just above the entrance of one EMU coach for guiding the commuters not to board the running train, at the last moment. Due to the fact that unlike METRO Trains or AC EMUs which have an electronic door closer and due to the impracticality (suffocation, etc) of providing doors on Non-AC EMU Coaches, the blue light visual indicator is being tried at present," an official release said.
"Visual Indicator emits a beam of light over the entrance area, when train starts, taking connection from the Guard who gives the beat to start the train and the commuter is alerted and warned of the imminent danger of being too close to the train on the platform, thereby guiding him/her to back off from the train," the release added.