Travel safely in local trains

In a tragic case, Monica More, a sixteen year old girl, lost both her hands at Ghatkopar railway station while catching a train by falling into the gap which lies between the train and the platform. In the process, she lost both her arms. Of course, a compensation of four lakhs was offered to her. However, this incident again brings to the forefront the issue of local train accidents while trying to catch a train in haste. While one can demand a compensation or file a petition against the railway authorities, one cannot ignore the fact that even commuters need to be careful while crossing the tracks.

According to a survey in India, as many as ten people lose their lives in accidents while commuting in local trains in Mumbai. So Monica’s case is nothing new, though very tragic. Just imagine, she was just a sixteen year old. The victim must have had several dreams about her future, many dreams about her career which now will be difficult to materialise. Besides, according to reports published, she herself has to go through the entire process to seek compensation, the process can be weary and traumatic. The process can also elongate causing her to lose hope.

However, let’s not digress from the topic of the issue of local train accidents. I commute in local train from Jogeshwari to Kandivali. While boarding the train at Jogeshwari, I find that commuters often do not use the overbridge and prefer crossing the railway tracks. I often see that when a train is in sight, still commuters continue crossing through the railway tracks until the train is absolutely close to them. This raises the chances of accidents. Besides, often youngsters are found hanging out of the doors of local trains and sometimes indulging in stunts which put their lives at risk. Thirdly, commuters are often in a hurry and catch the train even when it starts moving. This also increases the risk of accidents. So while railway authorities should take adequate steps to curb these accidents, commuters themselves should be careful while commuting.

In a good gesture, many people poured in to the KEM hospital to pay her a visit. Many people donated money to contribute to the victim’s hospital fees. However, inspite of such ‘assistance,’ she is left alone to fight a lifelong battle. Hope Monica gets the maximum support of her near and dear ones throughout her life and hope others learn a lesson from this incident and are more careful while commuting in local trains.