The motormen and guards manning local trains shoulder the responsibility of carrying lakhs of passengers safely to their destinations every day. However, two recent incidents have stirred up discontentment among this group, over the poor conditions in which they are expected to perform their duties.

Yesterday, a motorman, Umesh Chavan (40), was admitted to the ICU of a private hospital after he was found unconscious in the running room at Virar station, where motormen usually rest. Just a few days before that, 50-year-old guard Mahesh Patel died while resting in the running room at Churchgate station.