Daijiworld Media Network - Mumbai

Mumbai, Dec 11: Central Railway’s suburban network witnessed major delays on Thursday morning after a body was found near the tracks at Ghatkopar station, triggering a temporary halt in services and inconveniencing thousands of office-goers during peak hours.

The incident came to light early in the morning, prompting immediate response from railway authorities and the police. An ambulance and officials arrived at the spot to conduct preliminary checks and shift the deceased from the trackside area. Train services were briefly suspended, leading to delays of nearly 20–30 minutes across several routes.

The disruption once again underscored the alarming frequency of fatalities on Mumbai’s vast suburban network — a system that functions as the city’s lifeline. Accidental falls from overcrowded trains, hazardous track crossings, and trespassing continue to claim numerous lives each year, often paralysing movement across the network.

Just last month, Western Railway services had slowed down following a death on the tracks between Bandra and Mahim. In a more tragic incident in November, chaos near Sandhurst Road during a flash protest of railway employees led to severe crowding, after which multiple pedestrians walking along the tracks were struck by a moving train, resulting in multiple fatalities.

RTI data paints a grim picture: over the last 15 years, tens of thousands of people have lost their lives on the city’s railway lines. Many bodies remain unidentified due to the severity of the mishaps — a stark reminder of the persistent dangers faced daily on Mumbai’s bustling tracks.