MUMBAI’S BLACK FRIDAY

September 29 turned into a black Friday for the city after 23 people lost their lives and 38 were injured in a stampede that occurred at an FOB at Elphinstone Road railway station.

It occurred at 10.30 am when it started raining heavily, which led to commuters standing on the staircase and refusing to move.

The railway ministry gave Rs5,00,000 to the families of the dead, Rs1,00,000 to those who were grievously injured and Rs50,000 to commuters who suffered minor injuries.

An enquiry into the incident was ordered by the union railway minister Piyush Goyal. The investigation was headed by the chief safety officer of the Western Railway. Goyal held a 10-hour marathon meeting with railway officials discussing every aspect of safety. The CR safety audit report recommends the booking office at Elphinstone Road station be relocated, the staircase be widened and communication be improved with the use of walkie-talkies. Further, the railway authorities are also considering not allowing people carrying bulky and heavy objects during the morning peak hour. 30 new Foot over Bridges (FOB) were commissioned on both CR and WR. 13 FOBs will be expanded. The railway officials will now prepare a detailed report on the places were FOBs are required.