Mumbai North Central MP Varsha Gaikwad has taken up the issue of crowding on Mumbai local trains following the Bombay High Court’s scathing observation on the subject, calling for staggered office timings and a “humane upgrade” of the city’s suburban network and offering a four-point solution.

“I demand urgent action to address the deplorable safety conditions on Mumbai`s suburban local train network. The daily loss of seven precious lives due to overcrowding, electrocution and track crossing is unacceptable. 2,590 people died and 2,441 got injured on the suburban train network in 2023. The Bombay High Court`s scathing observation regarding passengers being herded like cattle is a stark reality check. I have requested an immediate meeting with the railway minister involving commuter organisations, GMs of Central and Western Railway, state government, and BMC representatives to tackle this crisis,” Gaikwad said in a letter to Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw. Some of the solutions she proposed include staggered work hours, increased train frequency, modernised infrastructure, and upgraded safety measures which she said were “long overdue.”