Mumbai: Poor lighting at Sion station raises safety concerns after woman loses gold chain

A poorly lit section of platform 1 at Sion railway station. Pics/Ritika Gondhalekar

A poorly lit stretch of platform 1 at Sion railway station has commuters worried about their safety, particularly women travelling in the general and first-class ladies' compartments. The concern has become more serious after a woman reportedly lost her gold chain in a chain-snatching incident on Wednesday night at the same stretch. This poor illumination is linked to the ongoing platform extension work at the station. Two new platforms are currently being constructed alongside the existing platform 1, following which temporary lighting arrangements have been put in place. Commuters, however, say the temporary lights are inadequate, leaving parts of the platform in darkness.

Ankita Nadkarni, a 27-year-old woman whose gold chain was allegedly snatched at the station on Wednesday night, said, "It happened so quickly that I could barely react. The area was very dark, and I could not clearly see the people around me. I am still shaken by what happened. Proper lighting could have made a difference."

Women vulnerable

The location is particularly concerning as the dark patch is where the ladies' and general first-class coaches halt, meaning a large number of women commuters pass through the area during peak hours and late evenings.

Ujwala Shetye, who travels from CSMT to Sion daily, said, "Women get down from the train and have to walk through this dark stretch. Now that a chain-snatching incident has happened here, I feel much more vulnerable, especially when travelling alone at night." While commuters do understand the need for the ongoing work, they also opine that it cannot be at the cost of their safety. "Two platforms are being constructed, so we understand why the lighting has been affected. But until the work is complete, the authorities need to provide adequate temporary illumination. Otherwise, such dark spots can become easy targets for criminals," said Avinash Sawant, who travels daily from Sion to Bhandup.

Despite messaging the Central Railway spokesperson, mid-day did not receive a response by press time.