The Central Railway has set itself a deadline for completion of filling up holes in station roofs by May 2019, a report in this paper stated. It was heartening to note through the report that the Railways has said that it is going to treat covers over platforms in the city like safety work, just like platform and foot bridge work.

This is an absolute essential and it is good that a deadline has been chalked out for the work. It is little use getting 'upgraded' and getting air-conditioned trains, bullet trains and the works if we are not able to get absolute fundamentals right. Roofs have to be fully repaired and functional for the purpose they are there, to provide commuters succour from the heat and shield them from Mumbai's torrential rain. With our conditions, the stations become particularly perilous during the monsoon. Leaking roofs mean crowds of commuters will try to shield in spaces where the water does not trickle down. At peak time, this is hazardous, if hordes try to squeeze into a small space. We have seen how stampedes and overcrowding can be deadly at stations. Pouring water from the roof also makes the platform slippery.