A day after Bharatiya Janata Party’s Kirit Somaiya won from the Mumbai North East constituency, he sprung into action. He met the Central Railway (CR) officials to discuss pertinent issues such as raising the height of platforms at suburban stations to avoid accidents and giving funds to victims of railway accidents.

Kirit Somaiya

CR sources said that even though the Union railway minister Mallikarjun Kharge had announced around Rs 70 crore for raising platform height at various stations in Mumbai, the amount was yet to be received from the Railway Board. Presently at many locations the height of platforms is between 760mm-840mmn and it has to be raised to 920mm. According to officials, this is the maximum height that platforms can be raised, without it infringing the movement of trains while it is plying.

“I’ve promised the CR authorities that as soon as the new railway minister takes charge, we will disburse the amount. Within one month, work at five stations — Ghatkopar, Badlapur, Ambernath, Kandivali and Borivali — will begin,” said Somaiya.