Mumbai Rail Pravasi Sangh delegation meets Sharad Pawar, seeks urgent action on suburban rail safety

Representational Image. File Pic

Mumbai's oldest and most active commuters' organisation, Mumbai Rail Pravasi Sangh (MRPS), on Thursday met Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) President Sharadchandra Pawar to discuss long-pending issues affecting suburban train passengers.

The Mumbai Rail Pravasi Sangh (MRPS) team, led by President Madhu Kotian, Vice President Siddhesh Desai, and Vandana Sonawane, submitted a detailed memorandum to Sharad Pawar highlighting some urgent commuter concerns and critical infrastructure requirements.

Among the key demands raised by the Mumbai Rail Pravasi Sangh was the introduction of the Kalwa-Airoli Railway Link Project that would ease congestion and improve the connectivity between Thane and Navi Mumbai. MRPS further urged the shifting of long-distance trains to Parsik (old) tracks to dedicate the new Thane-Diva lines exclusively for suburban services. The organisation further emphasised that the move would prevent accidents and allow for the addition of hundreds of new local train services.

Moreover, the delegation of the MRPS also flagged some extremely alarming safety statistics to Sharad Pawar, which mentioned that there are over 1,000 deaths and 1,800 injuries recorded between 2014 and 2024 along the Thane-Dombivli corridor. The MRPS further urged Pawar's intervention to end what they termed a "death track" situation.

Sharad Pawar, while acknowledging MRPS's consistent advocacy over two decades, assured the delegation that he would raise the matter with concerned authorities, including the Central Railway, MRVC, CIDCO, and MMRDA, to ensure coordinated action and come to a solution that caters to all.

Expressing gratitude for Pawar's support, MRPS further reaffirmed its commitment to working towards safer, faster, and more commuter-friendly suburban rail services in Mumbai.