Elphinstone Road stampede in Mumbai: Is this the city of dreams or nightmares, ask celebs

While daily commuters blamed the railways, Bollywood actors Riteish Deshmukh and Vivek Oberoi, among others, blamed a lack of infrastructure in the city for Elphinstone Road stampede.

More than 20 people were killed and several others injured on Friday in a rush-hour stampede on a foot over-bridge linking Elphinstone Road and Parel suburban railway stations in Mumbai. While daily commuters blamed the railways, Bollywood actors Riteish Deshmukh and Vivek Oberoi, among others, blamed a lack of infrastructure in the city.

A slipper of an injured commuter is seen stuck on the railing of a pedestrian bridge where a stampede took place at the Elphinstone station, in Mumbai.(AP)

Western Railway officers have rushed to the site and have stated that the incident happened because of heavy rainfall. “During heavy rains, stampede-like situation on north foot over bridge at Elphinstone Road station at 10.30 am. Accident relief medical team has reached and medical assistance being provided to injured. Senior railway officers have reached Elphinstone Road station FOB to monitor relief work,” Mukul Jain, Division Railway Manager, Western Railway, said.

“Shocked to hear about the #ElphinstoneBridgeTragedy -my condolences to the families who have lost their loved ones & prayers for the injured... Weak infra + Overcrowded bridges/Places = Ticking Time Bombs.. Wake up!! This is not the price to pay to learn a lesson #Elphinstone,” wrote Riteish.

“Unbelievable painful heartbreaking tragedy at #Elphinstoneroad But how quickly we turn human tragedies into political blame games... Our politics today are measured in the cost of human lives #elphinstone,” wrote Shekhar Kapur. He also asked, “A city u cant breathe, u cant find a place to live, you risk ur life traveling to work. City of Dreams or City of Nightmares? #elphinstone... Nowhere do extremes between wealth n poverty show more than in Mumbai. Costliest real estate in world and human tragedies like #elphinstone”

Here a look at what the celebs had to say:

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