Railways Play Chhath Songs At Stations, Commuters Question Priorities Amid Passenger Convenience Concerns

Mumbai: Railway stations across Mumbai turned into venues for Bhojpuri music during Chhath Puja, triggering objections from local organisations and complaints from commuters over loud announcements. Songs were played at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT), several Central Railway suburban stations and parts of the Western Railway network. Following objections, Central Railway has stopped playing the songs.

Commuters Question Use Of Announcement Systems

The music was played at CSMT, stations on the Kasara and Karjat routes and some stations in Navi Mumbai. On the Western Railway network, Virar and Nalasopara were also among the stations where songs were allegedly played. While the move was linked to Chhath Puja celebrations, commuters questioned the use of the public announcement system for entertainment when essential passenger information often remains unavailable.

"We have nothing against any language, culture or festival. But a railway station is not an entertainment centre. The railway should focus on running local trains on time rather than playing Bhojpuri songs. Passengers are already struggling with overcrowding, accidents, women's safety concerns and poor basic facilities," said Shailesh Raut of the Kalyan-Kasara Railway Passenger Association.

Marathi Organisation Warns Of Protests

The Marathi Ekikaran Samiti also objected to the move. Its president, Govardhan Deshmukh, alleged that such activities could create linguistic tensions and warned of protests if the songs were played again. The organisation also called for a review of permissions for public celebrations to prevent inconvenience to local residents.

Central Railway Clarifies Festival Announcements

Central Railway said the songs were part of festival-related announcements and had now been discontinued. Chief Public Relations Officer Swapnil Nila said jingles and awareness messages are played at stations on different occasions. Songs were played at selected stations, including CSMT and Lokmanya Tilak Terminus, which were handling additional special trains for Chhath Puja. They were played outside the slots reserved for essential passenger information, he said.

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Passengers Raise Concerns Over Train Updates

However, the controversy has brought attention to a larger concern. Commuters pointed out that when a local train is held up for a technical failure or other reasons, passengers are often left without timely information about the cause or expected delay. They questioned why the announcement system is used for festival songs when it is not consistently used to communicate operational updates.

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