CR report passes the buck for the death of 29-yr-old woman who fell off a train. A report filed by the Central Railways on the death of 29-year-old Darshana Pa war in February last year says that rail way officials did their best in getting her the necessary medical attention and that they had nothing to do with her incessant transfer from one hospital to another ­which emerged as the reason for her death.

Mar 08 2016 : Mirror (Mumbai)

CR report passes the buck for the death of 29-yr-old woman who fell off a train

Sunil Baghel TWEET @baghels





A report filed by the Central Railways on the death of 29-year-old Darshana Pa war in February last year says that rail way officials did their best in getting her the necessary medical attention and that they had nothing to do with her incessant transfer from one hospital to another ­which emerged as the reason for her death.However, the report does point out the absence of government ambulances at both Badlapur and Ambernath stations. Darshana, a receptionist at a Vashi-based private company, fell off a train between Badlapur and Ambernath stations around 8 pm on February 9, 2015, after a thief hit her on the head with a stick.
Her brother Sachin then moved the Bombay High Court, alleging that a fellow passenger, Madhu Birmole, tried everything she could for the next nine hours to get Darshana to a good hospital, but faced hurdles at every step. Darshana passed away at JJ Hospital. Sachin sought charges of culpable homicide against those allegedly responsible for her death--railway officials and doctors. The Bombay High Court, while hearing a Public Interest Litigation on the safety of passengers, sought a clarification from the railways on Pawar's allegations.
The report also says that the distance between Badlapur and Ambernath is about 9 km and that the frequency of the trains on that line is low. The report says that the Station Master in Badlapur, after being relieved from his duty at 8 pm, went to the accident spot­ which was about 5 kms from the Badlapur station ­by the very next available train.
After finding Darshana badly injured, he informed the on-duty Station Master at Badlapur to inform his counter-part at Ambernath. Darshan was taken by that very train to Vangani, reached the station at 8.3 pm and was immediately transferred to the nearest municipal hospital.
“There is no lapse on the part of either railway officials or the Government Railway Police in this incident. All the authorities acted promptly,“ says the report. But it adds, “The decision of the municipal hospital to refer the case to the central hospital and the subsequent hospitals is basically in the nature of a technical decision taken by qualified medical personnel.“
A report from the Senior Inspector of the Kalyan GRP ­ annexed to the Central Railways' report ­ says that the GRP registered a murder case against unknown person for the incident.

The report says that the Municipal Hospital referred Darshana to the Central Hospital after giving her primary treatment for further treatment around 9 pm due to lack of facilities. They then reached the Central Hospital around 9.30 pm, which then referred her to Sion or JJ Hospital around 10.30 pm. The team then left from there at around 11pm and reached Sion Hospital at 12.15am.
Sion Hospital, in turn, referred her to JJ Hospital because of non-availability of beds in the Intensive Care Unit. They did not admit her formally. This report points out that it was already around 12.45 am by the time they reached JJ Hospital ­ which was over 4hours after the incident. Darshana succumbed to her injuries at JJ Hospital around 4.45am.

Unconscious woman found beside rly track in Bhandup. Police have been unable to identify her; officials say she may have fallen off a moving local train, admitted her to Rajawadi Hospital

Nov 26 2015 : Mirror (Mumbai)

Unconscious woman found beside rly track in Bhandup

Kamal Mishra TWEETS @KMMIRROR





Police have been unable to identify her; officials say she may have fallen off a moving local train, admitted her to Rajawadi Hospital

Merely 36 hours after a medical student was pushed out of a moving local by a mobile phone snatcher, another woman was found unconscious near the railway tracks between Nahur and Bhandup after having fallen from a moving train. The incident occurred early in the morning on Wednesday.According to Government Railway Police (GRP) officials, at around 7 am on Wednesday, a commuter approached the station master at Kurla and told him that a lady, about 40 years of age, was lying unconscious near the tracks close to the pole marking a distance of 27.3 km from CST. The station master found her with the help of the Kurla GRP and had her admitted to Rajawadi hospital in Ghatkopar.
The victim, who is as yet unidentified, is still unable to move or speak. Vidya Thakur, medical superintendent of Rajwadi hospital, said she was grievously injured and has suf fered from multiple fractures in the head.
When asked about the incident, a senior GRP officer said, “Although she has some marks of injury on her hand, she suffered a severe injury only to the head. Prima facie it appears to be a case of falling down from a moving train. She has also not been identified.“
“We have informed all police stations in the central suburb about the incident and put out an alert for any reports about missing persons,“ he added.
The officials say the victim was found wearing a yellow metal chain, two bangles, two rings and four white metal rings. She was dressed in a pink Punjabi kurta and white churidar pyjama.
“We searched around the spot but didn't find any documents that would reveal her identity,“ said an official from GRP, Kurla.
This is the latest in a slew of such incidents that have dogged the central line. Last year, 797 deaths were attributed to falling from suburban trains.This year, the figure has already crossed the 700 mark, said a GRP official.
“Railway administration has completely failed to provide safe and comfortable transport to the passengers,“ said Advocate Swati Jain, who regularly uses the service to travel from CST to her residence in Dombivli.
“I think the basic reason why people are dying like animals is that railway officers have entirely failed to comprehend the hardships of the commuters,“ said Sudhir Katdare, another regular commuter from Thane. “Most of the passengers fall or slip from the trains when they struggle to get into a coach and fail to enter it, or when they get dashed against one of the poles next to the railway tracks,“ he added.
Upon being contacted by Mirror, Narendra Patil, chief public relations officer of Central Railway, said that the GRP and RPF are examining the case.
A railway official who did not wish to be named said, “It is true that the number of cases of passengers falling from trains has gone up, but this number also includes those cases where people lost their lives while performing stunts.“

AGAINST ALL ODDS - Monika More, face of city's travel travails, appears for HSC exam Central Railway

Feb 24 2015 : The Times of India (Mumbai)

Vinamrata Borwankar

| TNN





Girl Who Lost Both Arms After Falling In Platform Gap Fights For Her Dream, Little Has Changed On Most Stations Across WR & CR

Sitting under the shadow of trees at her exam centre in Ghatkopar, Monika More is unfazed by the chaos of parents and students as she continued last-minute revision ahead of her first HSC paper on Monday morning.Over a year after her accident in which she lost both her arms, Monika, a commerce student, appeared for the English paper with assistance from a writer. “She is slowly getting used to the myoelectric arms and can write with it too but can't write a complete paper with it in the stipulated time. We have not attended therapy for the past few months as that would take up a lot of time and there wouldn't be enough time for her to study,“ said her father Ashok, who along with her mother was accompanying Monika to the exam centre at Saraswati Vidyamandir, Ghatkopar.
On January 11 last year, Monika, then 17 years old, was trying to board a local train from Ghatkopar when she fell into a pit on the platform. She lost her arms after coming under the moving train. Soon after, Monika and her family received tremendous public support while she was being treated Parel's KEM hospital and drew a lot of attention to commuter safety at stations.
A nervous Monika said she was confident of what she had studied. “I have been concentrating on preparations for the past two months but I am nervous as I am not writing the papers on my own,“ she said.
Monika's writer is a class XI student of her own college, T D Mehta Junior College of Commerce, Ghatkopar.
Last year, the teenager appeared for her class XI examinations with help from a writer from the hospital's orthopaedic ward.
Besides studying, Monika has been busy answering calls from well wishers. “Right from Saturday, her phone has been ringing constantly. Everyone is sending in wishes for the board exams and we are grateful for that,“ said her mother, Kavita.
When TOI spoke to Monika after the paper, she had already begun preparations for the Hindi paper she will appear for on Tuesday. “The paper was easy and the 10 minutes helped a lot to plan what I wanted to answer.There were instances when I just felt like taking a pen and writing the paper on my own,“ she said.
Apart from resuming training for using her myoelectric arms, Monika is also looking forward to participating in the meetings of the Divisional Railway User's Consultative Committee. “She attended a meeting in the last week of January and the next is scheduled for April. She wants to take contribute to making travel safe,“ said Ashok.
13 killed in rail accidents on Sunday
Thirteen commuters died and 11 others injured in separate railway accidents on Sunday. Five of the deceased, including two women, and one of those injured could not be identified. Of the 24 total mishaps reported, 15 were reported on the Central line.Four mishaps, the highest in a single day, were reported at the Bandra GRP outpost.
`Role as Monika's writer is a huge responsibility'
For first-year junior college student Aishwarya Pawar, being Monika More's writer for the HSC exams meant a lot of responsibility. Seated next to Monika outside the exam centre in Ghatkopar, Aishwarya too browsed through notes for a last-minute revision.
“It is like a rehearsal for me before I write the board exam next year. Like her, I am also nervous about the first paper,“ she said. Aishwarya too is a student of Monika's college. “My teacher, who also teaches Monika, suggested I be her writer for the board exam and I was happy to help. My parents also supported the idea and allowed me to go ahead with it,“ she added.
It is the first time as a writer for the class XI student. “Since it was my first time, we solved a practice paper a day earlier, so we can understand how to do it in the exam centre,“ said Aishwarya.
Finding a writer for the HSC exams had worried Monika and her parents ahead of the exam. “It is not easy to find a writer because class XI students too have their exams soon after the board exams. It is a cause for concern for many parents,“ said Uday Nare, member of the Maharashtra State Board committee.--Vinamrata Borwankar
ARTIFICIAL ARMS BUT TRUE GRIT
MISHAP LAST YEAR
Kurla girl Monika More, then 17, slipped and fell in an uncovered pit while trying to board a CST-bound local from Ghatkopar on the afternoon of January 11, 2014. Two samaritans rushed to her rescue and took her to hospital, even carrying her severed arms to Hospital, which however could not be reattached. The incident gave a whole new dimension to commuter safety as the Railways opened up to the idea of raising platform height
AN INCIDENT WHICH CHANGED HER LIFE
The college student was a spirited dancer before the accident. Certified as an ideal student in school for her neat handwriting and etiquettes,
Monika was known in her locality for her love of drawing mehndi designs. She had opted for commerce as she wanted to become a chartered accountant Monika beat the odds to continue her education after the accident, but she needs to be accompanied by a family member or friend.
She is still getting used to perform daily essential activities like eating, boarding an autorickshaw or bus She is now appearing for her HSC exams with the help of a writer
ADVANCED TECH IN USE
Monika was fitted with myo-electric arms called Variplus, specially imported from Germany at the behest of KEM Hospital doctors. The kit was complete with hands, electric wrist rotator, a battery mounting set and electrodes

CITY’S DEATH-TRAP STATIONS Mirror visits Kasara, Khardi and Atgaon and finds that none of the platforms meet the prescribed norms

Yogesh Sadhwani and Virat A Singh mirrorfeedback@timesgroup.com TWEETS @_MumbaiMirror 

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    Days after the Monica More accident at Ghatkopar, Central Railway officials continue to pass the buck, blaming railway ministry policies for not being able to reduce the gap between platforms and rakes. While citing restrictions on raising the height of platforms, the officials have also blamed commuters for being reckless and trying to board running trains. 
    Mirror, however, visited Kasara, Khardi and Atgaon stations, and nailed CR’s lie. At all three stations, located on the Kalyan-Kasara route, the gap between rakes and platforms measures 18 to 20 inches, and at some spots even goes up to 21 inches. 
    While the prescribed gap should be between 13.46 inches and 17.2 inches, officials say they try to ensure it does not exceed the acceptable 14 inches. However,atallthreestations,thenorm is violated, making them the most dangerous stations on the suburban route. 
    What’s more, the gap is not just in terms of height between the platform and rakes, but also the distance forward of the footboard from the platform. Thus, while negotiating the height,passengershave to also make sure they take a huge step forward to reach the footboard, thereby magnifying their risk of falling in the gap. 
    The incidents of commuters falling into the gap at these stations have been numerous. In 2013 alone, eight cases of people falling into the gaps and either losing their lives or getting badly injured were reported at Kasara. Several such incidents occurred at Khardi and Atgaon too, but went unreported as no one was seriously injured. 
Kasara, which caters to over 10,000 commuters each day, has four platforms. The gap between the rakes and platforms here is between 18 to 20 inches, and at some stretches, goes up to 21 inches. 
At Atgaon which has two platforms and caters to around 3,000 commuters daily ,the gap is 18 inches. And so is the case at Khardi, which caters to over 3,000 commuters on an average day. With people falling into gaps at these three stations not all that rare an occurrence, the regular commuters here have turned vigilant to such incidents. “With the Railways not bothered to do anything about the gaps,dailycommutershavelearnttobe very alert,” said Vijay Manohar, a 25-year-old vendor who helped pull out at least a dozen people last year. 
    “As soon as someone falls into the gap, one of us rushes to alert the guard or motorman not to start the train until the person is brought up. Fortunately, in most cases last year, people escaped with bruises because this is a starting point for trains,” he added. 
    Khardi resident Vishal Jadhav, a member of the local passenger association, said that barely a week passes without someone falling into the gap. “Over here, it’s not just the gap between rake and platform in terms of height, but also the distance between the platform and the rake that poses a threat,”Jadhavsaid.“Thankstothecallous approach of the Railways, our commuters have all become boarding specialists,” he added with sarcasm. 
    So what has the Railways done about these death trap? Nothing, if you ask Rajesh Ghanghav, advisor of the Kalyan Kasara Railway Passengers Welfare Association and vice-president of the Mumbai Suburban Railway Passenger Association. 
    Ghanghav told Mirror that in the past two years the associations have taken up the issue of gaps at Khardi, Atgaon and Kasara with senior Railway officials a dozen times. “We have given them multiple representations. Even station masters have given submissions to their superiors, asking them to do something since so many accidents take place here,” said Ghanghav. 
    “This is nothing short of criminal negligence on the part of CR. People are getting injured, maimed and even losing their lives because of CR’s insensitive approach. If only they pay heed to our pleas and raise the height of platforms, it will be a huge relief for us and scores of accidents both minor and major can be averted,” Ghanghav added. 
    Of the 11 stations the lie between Kalyan and Kasara, eight have been fixed in the past five years. But Khardi, Atgaon and Kasara have been left untouched. The platforms of all three stations have not been raised, and the gaps have remained as they are for years. 
    But CR officials are busy defending themselves by claiming that the platforms of these three stations meet the norms and their height is as per rules laid down by the Railway ministry. 
    Atul Rane, CPRO of CR, claimed that height of the platforms is as per rules laid down by Railway ministry. “At Atgaon the height is between 810 mm and 950 mm, at Kasara it is 770 mm to 920 mm, and at Khardi it is around 850 mm. We thus meet the standard of keeping the platforms between 760 mm and 840 mm,” said Rane. 
    CR is unable to explain that if the height of the platforms is as per norms, how is it that the platforms do not meet the norms pertaining to the gap between rakes and platforms. The numbers just do not add up.

Members of a commuters’ association measure the gap between coaches and platform at Atgaon (L), Kasara (top R) and Khardi

Wi-fi plan at CR suburban stns, on trains. As soon as a commuter with a smartphone enters a suburban station on CR, a pop-up will appear on his cell that will display the real-time status of trains (through trainenquiry.com

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—Manthan K Mehta 

Mumbai: Commuters can get wi-fi service at stations and in moving trains if railway authorities approve plans of a cellular firm, which wants to offer the technology by piggybacking on Central Railway’s initiative that allows real-time tracking of trains on smartphones. 
    A cellular firm has approached CR’s Mumbai divisional office with a proposal that will allow commuters to use wi-fi. An official explained, “As soon as a commuter with a smartphone enters a suburban station on CR, a pop-up will appear on his cell that will display the real-time status of trains (through trainenquiry.com). The commuter can use the service for say, five minutes, to track the position of trains. If he wants to use wi-fi for longer, he will have to pay for it.”

Family in stalled train takes shortcut, run over.“During peak hours, there are several long-distance trains which leave from CST and they occupy platforms. If an incoming passenger train is delayed and there’s non-availability of platforms, it may be moved to a loop line. Suburban trains would be given precedence over it. But under no circumstances should commuters get off and cross tracks.” GRP officials said that the Bhusawal PASSENGER is regularly SENT to the LOOP line where it HALTS FOR OVER AN HOUR, prompting many commuters to get off and cross the tracks despite it being ILLEGAL.

Nitasha Natu TNN  http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Default/Scripting/ArticleWin.asp?From=Archive&Source=Page&Skin=TOINEW&BaseHref=TOIM/2013/10/19&PageLabel=10&EntityId=Ar01000&ViewMode=HTML Mumbai: Three members of a family were killed on Thursday night after they got off a long-distance train and decided to take a shortcut across the tracks at Byculla. A suburban local knocked down Hussain Hawaldar (65), his wife Fatima (50) and daughter Zahra (22). The family had been walking adjacent to the railway tracks and not on them. GRP officials said the trio suffered massive head and facial injuries, which killed them on the spot. They did not sustain injuries on the rest of the body.      The Hawaldars were natives of Banswara in Rajasthan. They were visiting friends at Vasind in Maharashtra. Around 6.15pm on Thursday, they boarded the Bhusawal Passenger from Vasind station. The train terminates at CST. “At 8pm, the train reached Byculla and was halted on a loop line (which leaves a main line and then rejoins it later continuing in the same direction). Nearly 20 minutes later, when the train had not resumed its journey, Hussain, Fatima and Zahra decided to get off and walk down the short distance to Byculla where they had some work,” said senior inspector Surendra Deshmukh, CST GRP. Around 8.20pm, a CST-bound local hurtled in their direction. “The  trio craned their necks to get a better look. The motorman honked repeatedly on spotting the family. By the time he could halt, three bogies of the train had crossed the point where the trio stood. They were hit on their faces,” Deshmukh added.      The motorman got off and carried the bodies into the local. The train was detained for 20 minutes. At CST, he informed the GRP. Fatima was Hussain’s third wife. Hussain had two sons, Mohammad (40) and Murtuza (27) from his first wife who passed away. He then married a second time and had a daughter (Zahra). Hussain and Fatima were looking for a groom for Zahra.      On Friday, Mohammad and Murtuza flew to Mumbai and claimed the bodies. They are both employed at garment stores in Kuwait.      GRP officials said that the Bhusawal Passenger is regularly sent to the loop line where it halts for over an hour, prompting many commuters to get off and cross the tracks despite it being illegal.      A CR spokesperson said, “During peak hours, there are several long-distance trains which leave from CST and they occupy platforms. If an incoming passenger train is delayed and there’s non-availability of platforms, it may be moved to a loop line. Suburban trains would be given precedence over it. But under no circumstances should commuters get off and cross tracks.”  Youth killed A 22-year-old youth was killed while crossing the railway tracks near platform 2 of Ghatkopar station on Friday. The deceased hasn’t been identified yet. He was knocked down by a Thane-CST local around 12.30pm.