Mumbai: Prabhadevi station’s wider FOB entry eases access, but narrow stairs remain a bottleneck

The widened entrance to the south-side FOB at Prabhadevi railway station. Pics/Ritika Gondhalekar

Mumbai commuters using Prabhadevi railway station's south-side foot overbridge (FOB) now have a wider entry point, but passengers say the upgrade has failed to address another bottleneck - the narrow stairs connecting the platforms to the bridge.

Western Railway has widened the FOB entrance from 2.1 metres to 5 metres to improve passenger movement. Three toilet units next to the entrance were dismantled after obtaining the required permission and no-objection certificate (NOC) from the BMC.

The railway said the additional space would provide unobstructed access, improve passenger dispersal and reduce congestion, particularly during peak hours.

‘Crowding shifts to stairs'

Passengers said the wider entrance offers only partial relief, as people continue to bunch up on the relatively narrow stairs leading from the platforms to the FOB.

The narrow stairs connecting the platforms to the FOB at Prabhadevi railway station

"Widening the south-side entry at Prabhadevi station is a welcome step and has improved passenger movement. However, it has not fully resolved peak-hour crowding. The main issue is the uneven flow and concentration of passengers on the footbridge," said commuter Mukesh Makhija. He said clear segregation, barricading and adequate RPF deployment were needed to regulate two-way movement and prevent passengers from stopping or moving against the flow.

"With such high footfall, even a minor obstruction can create a dangerous situation and increase the risk of a stampede. Infrastructure upgrades must therefore be matched by effective crowd management" he said. Shreya Shinde, another commuter, said the crowd gets compressed as soon as passengers reach the stairs.

"The wider entrance is definitely better, but the moment passengers reach the stairs, the crowd again gets compressed. During peak hours, people coming down and those going up struggle to pass each other," she said. Shinde said the narrow stairs can be particularly uncomfortable for women, with passengers squeezing past each other sometimes resulting in inappropriate touching, whether intentional or accidental.

"They have only widened the staircase area at the entrance. But still, if two trains on either platform come at the same time, it's the same situation.

However, after mid-day took up the issue, there has been a positive change in terms of managing the crowd and also having RPFs available to avoid any untoward situation. Everyone safely manages to enter and exit," another commuter, Renu Chaudhary, said.

‘Look at the entire movement system'

Sanjay Singh, a commuter, said widening the entrance alone would not resolve the problem. "The problem should be looked at as a complete passenger movement system. Widening just the entry will not be enough if the stairs and the flow between the platform and FOB remain congested," he said.