Mumbai, June 10, 2025 – The tragic train accident near Mumbra station on Monday, which claimed four lives and injured several commuters, has cast a harsh spotlight on a long-standing safety hazard: the notorious sharp curves on the Kalwa-Mumbra-Diva stretch. This segment, repeatedly dubbed a “death track” by vigilant activists and passenger groups, saw their urgent warnings tragically ignored.
The fatal incident unfolded when two overcrowded local trains—one bound for Kasara and another for CSMT—converged on the tightly curved tracks near Mumbra. Eyewitnesses recounted a sudden, violent jerk that caused passengers precariously balanced near the doors to collide and be flung onto the tracks. Such violent tilting and jolts, they noted, are a recurring and perilous issue on this specific stretch.
Disturbingly, the dangers posed by these curves were formally brought to the attention of authorities months prior. As early as February 2025, activist Ananda Maruti Patil had penned a letter to both the Railway Ministry and Central Railways, explicitly detailing the risks. His communication cited numerous near-misses and injuries stemming from overcrowding and the alarming tilting of coaches. The Railways’ response in March acknowledged the presence of the curves but defensively asserted adherence to “standard practices” like CANT (elevation of the outer rail) for safety, effectively dismissing calls for substantive corrective measures.
The Mumbai Rail Pravasi Sangh also raised vehement alarms, unequivocally designating the stretch a high-risk zone due to infrastructural deficiencies and inadequate platform depth. “Had authorities acted, these lives could’ve been saved,” lamented Patil, underscoring the perceived negligence.
The tragedy highlights a confluence of systemic failures:
Extreme Overcrowding: Peak-hour trains continue to be dangerously packed, compelling passengers to cling to footboards, a perilous practice.
Infrastructure Limitations: The challenging terrain severely restricts options for track realignment, and the decision to have fast trains bypass Mumbra due to curvature risks exacerbates congestion on local lines.
Monsoon Vulnerabilities: Track misalignment, particularly during the monsoon season, intensifies the dangerous swaying of coaches.
Among the victims were an IT engineer on the verge of finalizing a property deal, a GRP constable returning from duty, and a BPO employee who was the sole breadwinner for his family. Their untimely deaths have reignited fervent demands for immediate infrastructure upgrades, including calls for fast trains to make scheduled halts at Mumbra to alleviate the chronic overcrowding.
Central Railway has initiated an inquiry into the incident, but faces intense criticism for its apparent disregard of past warnings. A senior RPF officer conceded that the curve is indeed an “accident-prone zone,” though he also pointed to passenger behavior as a contributing factor. The incident serves as a stark reminder of the critical need for proactive safety measures and responsive governance in India’s bustling railway network.
