22 dead in Mumbai stampede
MORNING CRUSH At least 35 more injured in melee on pedestrian overbridge near Elphinstone railway station MUMBAI:
Twenty-two people were killed and another 35 injured in a stampede on a narrow foot-over bridge at Elphinstone Road station during the morning peak hours on Friday, in one of the worst commuter tragedies that Mumbai has seen.
The stampede occurred around 10.30 am as many commuters were standing huddled on the overcrowded FOB to escape the sudden heavy showers, and a few tripped and fell. The old, rickety FOB is usually bursting at the seams during peak hours, and it was even more packed on Friday morning because of the rain.
The Western Railway, who rushed officials to the accident site, blamed the incident on heavy rainfall and overcrowding. Mukul Jain, division railway manager, Western Railway, said: “During heavy rains, there was a stampede-like situation on the north FOB at Elphinstone Road station. The accident relief medical team provided medical assistance to the injured. Senior railway officers monitored relief work.”
An eyewitness, who was standing at the station platform when the incident occurred, said: “Commuters started panicking after somebody shouted that the bridge was collapsing and that there was a short circuit. People started pushing and those in the middle of the stairs fell. Many commuters who tried to escape through the railing got stuck.” A national disaster response team was also rushed to the spot.
While there are speculations on what triggered the stampede, Mumbaikars and railway experts said this was a tragedy just waiting to happen, and blame the Railways for not upgrading the old FOBs at railway stations across the city, particularly the ones at Elphinstone Road and Parel stations. With the development of mill land and central Mumbai becoming a major office hub, commuter traffic at Elphinstone, Parel and Lower Parel stations has seen a tremendous spike. These old railway stations, how- Union Railway minister Piyush Goyal orders highlevel probe into mishap Elphinstone was a disaster waiting to happen Comment: Little safety in public spaces: Apathy, sloth and neglect caused the Elphinstone disaster