922 Commuter Deaths In Mumbai Locals In Just 5 Months, Including 210 Fell From Running Trains

An alarming 922 accidental deaths of local train commuters have been reported in Mumbai Suburban section between January 1 and May 31, 2025, including 597 on CRs suburban section and  325 on WRs  suburban section according to a Right to Information (RTI) reply received from the Mumbai Railway Police Commissionerate.

The data further reveals that 210 of these deaths were caused by passengers falling from moving trains—a grim reminder of the ongoing safety crisis in Mumbai’s suburban railway network, often described as the city's lifeline including 150

On CR suburban section and  60 on WR suburban section.

Railway activists and commuter associations have raised concerns about chronic overcrowding, insufficient number of coaches, and lack of platform safety measures that continue to endanger the lives of millions of daily passengers.

“This is not just a statistic—it’s a public health and safety emergency,” Ajay Bose, a city based RTI activist. “We are losing lives almost daily due to avoidable causes.”

The remaining 712 accidental deaths in the suburban section of both zonal railways during this period were attributed to a range of factors including crossing tracks suicide etc. According to sources, Mumbai’s suburban railway system carries over 7 million passengers daily across Western, Central, and Harbour lines. 

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In 2024, a total of 2,477 deaths were reported on the suburban railway sections. Of these, 1,533 occurred on the Central Railway (CR) suburban section and 944 on the Western Railway (WR) suburban section.

Similarly, a total of 570 deaths were reported due to people falling from running trains in 2024. This includes 387 on CR and 183 on WR's suburban sections. Among these, 139 deaths occurred between January and March 2024. Out of the 139, a total of 92 deaths were reported on the CR suburban section and 47 on the WR suburban section.

Between January and March 2024, a total of 565 deaths were reported on Mumbai's suburban railway stations, including 335 on the CR suburban section and 230 on the WR suburban section.

However, Railway officials say that track-related deaths have significantly reduced over the years due to various efforts. Western Railway (WR) has expanded its services, increasing suburban trains from 1,007 in 2004 to 1,406 in 2024, and EMU coaches from 10,290 to 17,505. All 9-car trains were upgraded to 12-car by 2016, and 15-car services now number 211. WR has introduced 109 AC local trains with automatic doors, extended Harbour Line services to Goregaon, built new foot overbridges, and added 116 escalators and 71 lifts to prevent trespassing.

For women’s safety, WR started ladies’ specials in 1992 and now runs 10 pairs daily. Since 2022, seating for women in non-AC trains has increased to 25.47%.

Central Railway (CR) has also expanded suburban services by 50%—from around 1,200 in 2004 to 1,810 in 2024—while phasing out 9-car trains and introducing 12-car and 15-car rakes.

Key Figures (Jan 1 – May 31, 2025):

Total Accidental Deaths: 922

On CR: 597

On WR: 325

Deaths from Falling off Trains: 210

On CR: 150

On WR: 60