Train stabbing is a dire warning

The recent stabbing on a Mumbai local train is not just another crime It is a warning that we cannot take the safety of our railway system for granted Every day more than several lakh passengers travel on Mumbairsquos local trains They trust that they will reach home safely That trust must be protectedThe incident may have occurred due to a personal fight But it raises a bigger question How did a person carrying a knife enter one of the busiest railway systems in the world without being stoppedThe answer is simple It is not very difficultNo one expects the Railways to check every passenger With more than 70 lakh commuters every day that is simply not possible If every person is frisked before entering a station there will be huge queues and trains will get delayed Mumbairsquos local train network works because people move in and out quicklyBut there is a big difference between checking every passenger and not checking anyoneAfter the 2006 train blasts and the 2611 terror attacks security at railway stations became much stronger Metal detectors were installed Baggage scanners were introduced Police carried out random checks Security personnel were visible at important stations People accepted these checks because they knew they were necessaryToday many of these security measures are no longer seen regularly At many stations metal detectors are not monitored Baggage scanners are not always used Random checks have become less common The recent stabbing has reminded us that security should never be taken for granted This incident in no way was linked to terrorism It is a clear case of personal violence But the incident has exposed a weakness in the system If a person can enter a crowded railway station carrying a knife without being noticed the same gap could be misused by someone with much more dangerous intentions That is why every security lapse must be taken seriously The solution is not to stop every passenger for a detailed search The solution is to make security smarterOn Monday the Maharashtra government is expected to make a statement in the legislature on the incident The response should go beyond expressing concern or announcing an inquiry It should present a clear roadmap to strengthen security on Mumbairsquos suburban railway network without disrupting the daily movement of millions of commuters and closer coordination between the Railway Protection Force RPF Government Railway Police GRP and the local police Most importantly these measures should become part of everyday policing rather than temporary responses to a shocking incidentSecurity should also not become a onetime exercise carried out only after a major incident Too often stricter checks are introduced immediately after a tragedy but they slowly disappear as public attention fades This cycle has been repeated many times Safety cannot depend on the memory of the last attack It has to become a daily habitRandom baggage checks should become regular again Metal detectors and baggage scanners should always be working CCTV cameras should be properly monitored More police and security personnel should be seen at busy stations especially during rush hours Better use of technology can also improve security without causing delaysAt the same time the public and railway commuters also have an important role to playThe police alone cannot keep Mumbai safe A city as large as Mumbai also needs responsible citizens People should report suspicious behaviour cooperate during random security checks and understand that a few extra minutes spent on security are worth it if they make travel saferThere is another lesson from this incident People are becoming less patient and more aggressive Small arguments are quickly turning into violent fights Security alone cannot solve this problem We also need better civic sense more patience and greater respect for one another A safe city is built not only by police and laws but also by people who behave responsibly in public placesMumbai has always shown great courage after every crisis But courage should not make us careless Instead of waiting for another tragedy we should learn from every warningThe recent stabbing should be seen as one such warning Security should not become stronger only after a major incident It should remain strong every day The responsibility lies with the Railways the police and every commuterMumbairsquos local trains are more than just a transport system They are the lifeline of the city Keeping them safe needs alert security responsible citizens and constant vigilance Only when all three work together can millions of Mumbaikars travel without fearSanjeev Shivadekar is political editor midday He tweets SanjeevShivadekSend your feedback to mailbagmiddaycomThe views expressed in this column are the individualrsquos and donrsquot represent those of the paper