Date: 13 January 2018

Shri Piyush Goyal

Hon. Minister of Railways,
Rail Bhavan,
New Delhi – 110 001

Dear Sir,

Some 80 lakh daily commuters using the Mumbai suburban rail network daily, face
issues of safety and security that need to be urgently addressed at the highest level. We
have listed a few of these issues on the basis of replies received by us under the Right to
Information (RTI) from the Railway authorities. One document was obtained from a
reliable source on condition of anonymity. There is immediate need to fix responsibility
and time limits to resolve these issues.

We earnestly urge you to look into these on a priority basis and initiate prompt action
towards resolving them. We are confident you will find them important too.

Sr.
Issues Particulars Annexures Pg No
No

1 Recurring Between January 2014 and October Data obtained 8-12

fractures on 2017, there were 525 fractures on from Western
railway railway tracks in the Mumbai divisions and Central
tracks in of Western and Central Railways. Railways
Mumbai These recurring fractures on the rail under RTI.
division tracks are really worrisome and
endanger the lives of all commuters.

Prayer: Kindly appoint an expert

investigating agency or a high-level
Committee to find a permanent
solution to these rail fractures.

2 Comprehens The Mumbai Suburban Rail Network is

ive solution not equipped to handle the daily load
for the of almost 80 lakh commuters or to take
Mumbai the necessary steps to ensure safe travel
Suburban for them. In the absence of uniformity
Rail in decision making by the Western and
Network Central Railway divisions, it is the
commuters who continue to suffer.

Prayer: The Ministry of Railways and

the Railway Board must take a holistic
approach and create a single body for
the Mumbai Suburban Rail Network,
to take over responsibility and decision
making powers from Western and
Central Railways. This will facilitate
and expedite decision making and
bring uniformity in the working of the
Suburban Rail Network, resulting in
safe commute for daily passengers.
Moneylife Foundation
 3 Action taken On 1 December 2015, the Railway Report of 13-19
on the Minister had appointed a Committee, the
Committee consisting of three members of Committee
Report on Parliament (MPs), the general manager
“Review of (GM) of Central Railway, two
Rising Municipal Commissioners (MCGM
trends of and KDMC) and two members from
Accidental the public to review the rising trend of
deaths in accidental deaths in the Mumbai
Mumbai Suburban Rail Network.
Suburban In its report submitted in January 2016
System” to the Railway Board, the Committee
on page no.17 says, “The Harbour line
is using 36 rakes at present with 4
minutes’ headway and will need
another 36 rakes to ensure two
minutes’ headway.”

Prayer: Immediate action on the

recommendations of the Committee
Report for increasing the number of
rakes and frequency of trains on the
Harbour line.

4 Report of There are reports of deaths or injuries

the caused to the commuters daily. A local
Commission train accident in 2014 due to a defect in
er of the manufacturing of Schaku coupler
Railway resulted in the separation of bogies and
Safety – derailment near Titwala (CR).
(CRS)
Prayer: The Commissioner of Railway
Safety should be given more powers to
ensure safety of passengers and
implementation of safety measures
within fixed time limits instead of just
preparing and submitting Reports to
the Railway Board.

5 Absence of At present, there exists no system / Copy of the 20-25

any object mechanism to detect any metal / Bombay HC
detection wooden object placed on the railway order
system on track on Mumbai Suburban Rail
railway Network. This could lead in derailment
tracks or accident of the train running on the
track.

Prayer: Immediate compliance with the

Bombay High Court directive dated 17
March 2017.

6 Strengthen Water seepage caused by an increase in

the Parsik human habitation over the tunnel is
Tunnel on making the Thane to Diva fast track a
Central dangerous route for commuters as well
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 Railway’s as all trains. This is also endangering
Thane-Diva lives of lakhs of commuters who travel
fast track daily on this route.

Prayer: Remove all encroachments

from the top of the tunnel and its
proximity in coordination with the
local municipal authority, after
conducting a structural audit of the
tunnel.

7 Curtailing The Railway Board at present is vested

powers of with all the executive powers, which
the Railway makes the Divisional Railway
Board and Managers and General Managers fully
bestowing dependent on the Railway Board. This
more is hampering speedy solution in
executive several issues, such as infrastructural
powers on improvements or safety of commuters.
the DRM
and GM Prayer: The Railway Board should
function only at the policymaking level
and delegate all executive powers to
Divisional Railway Managers (DRMs)
and General Managers (GM).

8 Allow There is no facility for reissue of a

cancellation season ticket at present as it was rolled
/ re-issuance back years ago. Season tickets are
of Season issued on the basis of an ID card issued
Ticket by the Railways or any other valid ID
issued by the Government. This ID
number and the season ticket number,
printed on the ticket should enable
reissue of lost/ stolen season ticket and
authorise re-issuance of a new one for
the remaining period.

Prayer: To allow reissuance of a lost/

stolen/ misplaced season ticket and
authorise reissue of a new one on the
basis of the ID card and photocopy of
such lost/stolen or misplaced ticket for
the remaining validity period.

9 Installation There have been incidents of train

of CCTVs ticket examiners (TTE) assaulting and
inside the extorting money from the ticketless
train ticket passengers inside the TTE rooms. On
examiner 17 December 2017, one CCTV camera
(TTE) rooms was installed inside the TTE room and
at all another at the Railway Protection Force
railway (RPF) office at Dadar Central station,
stations Mumbai and thereafter no complaint
about any ill treatment or corruption
inside that room has been reported.
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 Also, the revenue might possibly have
risen to some extent due to curbing of
bribery by Railway officials.

Prayer: CCTV cameras should be

installed in each TTE and RPF rooms /
offices at railway stations. This drive
should be started with the Mumbai
division and should be subsequently
implemented all over India.

10 Recruitment Around 4,000 posts for the Govt. Reply 26-28

of Railway Police (GRP) in the Mumbai received
Government division have been approved 20 years under RTI
Railway ago, of which around 500 are vacant. from
Police (GRP) The Commissioner-GRP has Commission
personnel recommended additional 7,200 er -GRP,
personnel, mostly female. GRP are Mumbai
State Police and are appointed in the
Railways on deputation. The Railways
pay 50% of the salary while the State
Government pays the remaining 50%.

Prayer: To fill the vacant posts at the

earliest and appoint 7,200 additional
Govt. Railway Police personnel for the
Mumbai division.

11 Immediate The National Consumer Disputes Order issued 29-44

compensatio Redressal Commission (NCDRC) has by NCDRC 45-49
n to the already passed orders to compensate awarding
passengers passengers, who suffered due to compensatio
for train delayed trains. One passenger, injured n to the
delays/ at Churchgate railway station due to a victim for
accidents metal object falling on him, was the loss.
eventually paralysed.

Prayer: Indian Railways should

immediately compensate such
passengers as per the order issued by
the NCDRC.

12 Delegation Several times, able-bodied passengers,

of the RPF many of whom are either police or
constables in Railway personnel, occupy the coach
coaches reserved for divyang disabled
reserved for commuters in suburban trains.
disabled
passengers Prayer: Delegate at least one RPF
constable inside each coach reserved
for disabled passengers on Mumbai
suburban trains to make sure that able-
bodied commuters do not enter these
coaches. Also direct the ticket checkers
to conduct surprise checks in such
reserved coaches.
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 13 Protection of On 11 December 2013, the Railway February 50-65
child rights Board issued Standard Operative 2013 order
at railway Procedures (SOP) for the protection of from the
stations child rights at all railway stations Delhi High
across the country. This was the Court in
outcome of a directives issued by the Khushboo
Delhi High Court and guidelines Jain vs.
issued by the Railway Board. Union of
India
Prayer: Compliance by the General
Manager with the said directives and
fixing responsibility. Also, initiate strict
action for non-compliance over the past
four years.

14 Overdue The Railways (Western & Central) have Data from 66-67
payments on not paid the water charges bill of Rs400 BMC
water bills crore to the Bombay Municipal (Hydraulic
by the Corporation (BMC) since 2001. Thus Engineer’s
Railways to under Rule no.4.7 of MCGM Water Dept)
BrihanMum Charges, the BMC has levied 2% obtained
bai additional monthly charges on those under RTI
Municipal outstanding water dues. This penalty
Corporation that the Railways will pay now, could
(BMC) have been used for improving
infrastructure or passenger amenities.

Prayer: To initiate immediate payment

of all the pending dues owed by the
Railways to the BMC. Also, take action
on the erring officials responsible for
non-payment of the dues to BMC
within the stipulated time.

15 Validity of Long distance commuters on Western

Konkan and Central Railway are allowed to
Railway continue their journey on suburban
tickets trains with valid tickets. However, the
(reserved or same facility is not available for
unreserved) Konkan Railway passengers. They are
for travel on required to buy separate tickets for
local trains suburban trail travel to their
from Panvel destination causing harassment.

Prayer: To permit Konkan Railway

passengers to continue their journey on
suburban trains with a valid
(reserved/unreserved) ticket without
having to buy a separate suburban
railway ticket.

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 16 Merger of The Railway Protection Force (RPF)
RPF and and Government Railway Police (GRP)
Government function under the control of the Union
Railway government and State government,
Police (GRP) respectively. Both serve different
purposes and functions. Being
unaware of this difference, commuters
often fail to report the matter to the
appropriate body (RPF/ GRP).

Prayer: To provide an alternative by

either merging the two bodies or by
devolving the duties of RPF to GRP,
since the latter has more powers for
enforcement of law and order than the
RPF.

17 Violations RPF personnel, while making arrests, RPF 68-81

of Supreme violated Supreme Court directives in Departmenta
Court cases of DK Basu vs the State of West l Inquiry
guidelines Bengal and Arnesh Kumar vs the State Report
by the RPF of Bihar. The RPF departmental inquiry received
in arrest report clearly shows violation of the from reliable
procedures constitutional rights guaranteed under source
Articles 21 and 14 of the Constitution
of India.

Prayer: Ensure strict compliance of the

Supreme Court directives in such cases
and hold senior RPF officers
accountable and responsible for non-
compliance of the Supreme Court
directives / guidelines about arrests.

18 Dismissal RPF fails to comply with the directive SC 82-96

should be laid down by the Supreme Court, judgment on
the only which states that, “dismissal is the only 1-9-201(UP
punishment punishment for charges of corruption.” State Road
in proven Transport
cases of Corp. & Anr.
corruption Prayer: The two RPF personnel caught Vs. Gopal
on camera while collecting bribes at Shukla &
LTT (Kurla Terminus Mumbai) must Anr.)
be dismissed forthwith.

19 Noise A Survey report conducted by Awaaz Survey 91-101

pollution at Foundation on noise pollution at Report
Railways railway stations in Mumbai has raised
Stations many important issues

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This memorandum has been put together through the investigation and effort of well-
known railway activist Mr Samir Zaveri and other activists including Mr Shirish
Shanbhag, Mr AV Shenoy, Ms Sumaira Abdulali of Awaaz Foundation and our
colleagues at Moneylife Foundation.

With Best Regards,

Sucheta Dalal Debashis Basu

Founder-Trustee Founder-Trustee
Moneylife Foundation Moneylife Foundation

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