In the wake of the tragic Sandhurst Road railway accident, Milind Deora, Chairperson of the Committee on Subordinate Legislation, Rajya Sabha, has written to Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on November 7, urging a thorough investigation into the incident.
On November 6, two people were killed and three others injured after being hit by a speeding local train. Reportedly, all five victims were crossing the tracks after getting down from another local train that had halted mid-section due to a sudden strike by railway workers.
Deora Cites Sudden Strike as Trigger for Chaos
According to Deora, the mishap occurred following an abrupt disruption of local train services after 5:40 p.m. due to an unexpected workers’ strike. The breakdown in services caused confusion and panic among commuters, leading to the loss of innocent lives.
He acknowledged the dedication of railway employees but stressed the consequences of unplanned disruptions.
“The dedication of railway employees and the efficiency of the network are commendable. However, abrupt disruptions can have grave consequences, as witnessed in this instance,” Deora wrote in his letter.
He also called for accountability, demanding that those responsible be identified and penalized, and urged the railway authorities to adopt preventive measures to restore public confidence in Mumbai’s lifeline suburban network.
Advocate Seeks Accountability and Resignations
Advocate Kanchan Ghanshani has demanded the resignation of the Central Railway General Manager and the Divisional Railway Manager, Mumbai Division, over what she termed an unlawful protest at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) on November 6, which allegedly led to the deaths of two passengers.
In a post shared on X (formerly Twitter) on November 7, Ghanshani urged the authorities to initiate strict departmental action against those involved in the protest, which had halted suburban train services for nearly an hour and left three others injured near Sandhurst Road station.
Call for Legal Action Under ESMA
Ghanshani also called upon the CSMT Railway Police to register FIRs under the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) and to scrutinize CCTV footage to identify all employees involved in the unlawful strike.
She stated that such irresponsible actions endanger public safety and warrant strict criminal and departmental proceedings.
