The Bombay High Court today suggested Railways to consider starting trains from Churchgate to central suburbs like Thane, Dombivli, Ambernath and so on to reduce crowd at Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST).
A division bench of Justices V M Kanade and Nutan Sardessai said when trains to western suburbs like Andheri and Bandra are there from CST, the Railways should consider trains to central suburbs too from Churchgate.
Presently trains plying from Churchgate connect only the western suburbs of the megapolis and areas beyond.
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"Several commuters who have offices in Churchgate and Nariman Point area can go to Churchgate station and take trains to central suburbs instead of going all the way to CST. This will reduce the crowd also at CST," Justice Kanade said.
"Let this suggestion be looked into by experts from the field. May be a separate corridor can be set up," the court said.
The bench was hearing a PIL filed by activist Samir Zaveri raising the issue of increasing number of deaths due to overcrowding in trains.
Railways counsel Suresh Kumar informed the court today that casualties due to crowd has reduced considerably in the harbour line (it originates from CST) after introduction of 12 car rakes but is still there in the western and central line.
The court also sought to know if Railways was running into losses or was in profit.
"I remember when Lalu Prasad Yadav was the Railways minister the Railways was running profitably. Now we do not know what the situation is."
The court will hear the petition further on December 8.
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