About time leaky stations' roofs were fixed

We have seen how stampedes and overcrowding can be deadly at stations. Pouring water from the roof also makes the platform slippery

The Central Railway has set itself a deadline for completion of filling up holes in station roofs by May 2019, a report in this paper stated. It was heartening to note through the report that the Railways has said that it is going to treat covers over platforms in the city like safety work, just like platform and foot bridge work.

This is an absolute essential and it is good that a deadline has been chalked out for the work. It is little use getting 'upgraded' and getting air-conditioned trains, bullet trains and the works if we are not able to get absolute fundamentals right. Roofs have to be fully repaired and functional for the purpose they are there, to provide commuters succour from the heat and shield them from Mumbai's torrential rain. With our conditions, the stations become particularly perilous during the monsoon. Leaking roofs mean crowds of commuters will try to shield in spaces where the water does not trickle down. At peak time, this is hazardous, if hordes try to squeeze into a small space. We have seen how stampedes and overcrowding can be deadly at stations. Pouring water from the roof also makes the platform slippery.

The rain as it is makes it treacherous to negotiate all the spaces around trains. We see the platforms becoming so slippery with the water, water dripping from umbrellas and raincoats, staircase handles and even the stairs extremely slick with rain. With crowds rushing around and surging to catch certain trains, water falling on the platform only means people running faster, weaving and bumping through crowds and that is extremely dangerous. Let us mitigate rain-related accidents and hazards as much as we can. Dry days with an intact roof above our heads, means happy and safe times for commuters.

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