09 June,2026 09:10 AM IST | Mumbai | Rajendra B. Aklekar
Umbermali station on Kasara line, where platform extension work is being done. PICS/BY SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
Passengers at Kasara railway station have to walk through narrow spaces, increasing the risk of a stampede and adding to the risk of accidents due to slipping into open pits in the area. To make matters worse, passenger associations say rainwater is expected to accumulate in these pits, leading to mosquito breeding and the risk of dengue and malaria.
Another station on the Kasara line where work is underway
With the monsoon setting in, commuter associations have expressed concerns, writing to the divisional railway manager, Mumbai division, regarding incomplete platform extension works being carried out to accommodate 15-coach local trains across several stations on the Central Railway's Kasara-Kalyan and Kalyan-Karjat corridors.
Rajesh Amruta Ghanghav
In the letter to the divisional railway manager, Mumbai division, the Kalyan-Kasara-Karjat Railway Pravasi Sanghatna president Rajesh Amruta Ghanghav alleged that the station upgrade works have been underway for the past six months, and remain only partially complete, with nearly 60-70 per cent of the work still pending at several locations.
Ghanghav warned that dug-up pits, exposed concrete surfaces, scattered construction material, and waterlogging could pose serious health and safety risks. "Stagnant rainwater may become a breeding ground for mosquitoes, increasing the risk of dengue and malaria. There is concern over passengers being forced to navigate through narrow passages created by the ongoing works, potentially leading to overcrowding and stampede-like situations during peak hours," he told mid-day, highlighting the danger of commuters slipping into open pits or tripping over construction debris, especially during heavy rainfall and poor visibility.
Seeking urgent intervention, the commuter body has requested Central Railway to direct contractors to expedite the remaining work before the monsoon intensifies. It has also urged rail authorities to implement temporary safety measures, including proper drainage arrangements, covering of pits, and daily cleaning of construction zones.
Rail officials said that the civil works pertaining to 15-car local trains are now in the final stages and inconveniences are just temporary. Authorities also asserted that monsoon preparatory works had been initiated and all the open pits and under-construction sites will be covered up on a priority basis.
mid-day was the first to report how, in a landmark move aimed at easing the daily crush of Mumbai's commuter traffic, Central Railway had begun the process of converting 20 of its existing 12-car suburban rakes into 15-car formations at one go, marking one of the most significant capacity expansions on the line in over a decade.
The upgrade, primarily on the main line till Karjat, Khopoli, and Kasara - long demanded by commuters and transport planners - will add an estimated 312,000 to 336,000 additional passenger-carrying slots per day, thanks to the extra three coaches in each rake and the 12-13 trips typically operated by a single train set.
