Change office timings to prevent overcrowding in trains: HC

The Bombay High Court today asked Maharashtra government to consider changing office timings to prevent overcrowding in suburban local trains.
Justice Naresh Patil suggested this while hearing a suo motu (on its own) PIL which was converted out of a letter written by A B Thakker urging reservation of a separate compartment for senior citizens in local trains.
The judges also asked the Railways to replace the steel rods at the entrance of bogies with rubber installations so that the hands of commuters do not slip and they do not fall off the trains.
Railway authorities had earlier told the court that it was not possible for them to introduce double decker trains on the suburban routes for commuters.

The bench was of the opinion that every station must have a list of nearby hospitals so that in cases of emergency, accident victims can be taken straight there in ambulances.
The court had earlier directed the Railways to consider providing a dedicated coach for senior citizens to ensure easy and safe access for them. The court had also asked the Railways to conduct a trial run on the concept.

The court had also asked Central Railway and Western Railways to ensure that 14 dedicated seats are made available to senior citizens in all suburban trains.
The Railways said it had put up indications on doors of coaches and inside coaches to show that certain seats had been reserved for senior citizens.

"If there is a dedicated compartment for senior citizens in trains operating at a particular timing, senior citizens would rather wait for that train rather than get onto a crowded train," observed the HC.