The measure, which was first planned in 2023, assumes significance following the June 9 Mumbra tragedy, which resulted in the death of four commuters. A CR spokesperson said that panic buttons had been installed by Railtel Corporation India Limited (RCIL) on the main and harbour lines of CR
A panic button that was recently installed at Mulund railway station. Pic/Rajendra B. Aklekar
Panic buttons will soon be installed at either end of 117 railway stations (some already have these buttons) on Central Railway’s (CR) main and harbour lines on an experimental basis, enabling commuters to alert railway staff, Railway Protection Force (RPF) and control rooms during incidents such as accidents, overcrowding, or criminal activities. The measure, first planned in 2023, assumes significance following the June 9 Mumbra tragedy.
The measure, which was first planned in 2023, assumes significance following the June 9 Mumbra tragedy, which resulted in the death of four commuters. A CR spokesperson said that panic buttons had been installed by Railtel Corporation India Limited (RCIL) on the main and harbour lines of CR. A few stations where they have been installed include Byculla, Chinchpokli, Currey Road, Mulund, Dockyard Road and Cotton Green, he added.
(From left) A panic button recently installed at Mulund station; a row of handles for footboard commuters in a Bombardier-class train. Pics/Rajendra B. Aklekar
The system has been designed to allow passengers, especially women, to quickly alert the Railway Protection Force (RPF) in case of emergencies. “When a passenger presses the panic button, an alert is sent to the RPF control room and station staff, and they can assess the situation via CCTV footage to provide immediate assistance or take necessary action,” an official said.
System of trust
Asked what the Railways will do to prevent the misuse of the facility, an official said it is similar to the alarm chain system inside trains, which operates on trust. “The benefit here is that, unlike in train coaches, all railway stations are under complete CCTV cover from corner to corner and are monitored 24×7. So, any activity will anyway remain monitored, and panic buttons are an additional feature,” the official said.
Additional safety handles
Older Siemens-class local trains on CR will, meanwhile, get an additional row of handles for those standing on the footboard. While the newer Bombardier-class trains had them, they were missing in older Siemens-class local trains that were introduced in 2007. The handles will be installed at a cost of Rs 2.40 crore.
The installation work is on at the Sanpada car shed, and once the work is complete, every door will have four to six additional handles. In the Mumbra incident, most of the commuters who fell off were precariously standing on the footboard and hanging out.
After the tragedy, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw had met manufacturers Integral Coach Factory and finalised the new design with three key changes in Mumbai’s local trains. First, the doors will have louvres (horizontal slats that allow air and light to pass through).
Second, coaches will have roof-mounted ventilation units to pump in fresh air. And third, the coaches will have vestibules. The initial order to retrofit automatic doors on existing trains was later modified, and only new builds have been mandated to have automatic doors, as air-conditioning and doors cannot be retrofitted but can only be built into new rakes.
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