Dombivli woman dies after falling off overcrowded CR train

Riya Rajgor, a Dombivli resident, was on her way to her office in Thane when she boarded a Mumbai-bound fast local at Dombivli around 8am, but was forced to stand at the door since the train was overcrowded

Thane: A 26-year-old woman died after falling off an overcrowded Central line train between Dombivli and Kopar on Monday. Riya Rajgor, a Dombivli resident, was on her way to her office in Thane when the incident occurred.

Dombivli woman dies after falling off overcrowded CR train

According to officials, Rajgo boarded a Mumbai-bound fast local around 8am, but was forced to stand at the door since the train was overcrowded. As the train picked up speed after Dombivli station, she lost her balance, fell on the tracks and died on the spot.

“We face daily trouble getting into the fast train as it is already loaded with people,” said Leena Kushwah, Rajgor’s friend and fellow commuter. “Today, the same thing happened, and Riya couldn’t come inside, so she stood at the door. Also, when a train picks up speed, the coaches swing rapidly from both sides. At this time, the load of the crowd inside comes on the passengers standing at the door. That’s why she lost her balance and fell.”

This was the second such incident in the last four days on the Central line between Dombivli and Thane. On April 25, Avadhesh Rajesh Dubey, 25, died after falling off the train between Diva and Thane. In fact, according to the Government Railway Police, Rajgor was the 10th person to die due to overcrowding between Dombivli and Thane in the last two months.

More than 3.7 million commuters travel from Dombivli to Mumbai every day, but only 17 trains start from Dombivli, said a GRP officer, who requested anonymity as they aren’t authorised to speak to the media. “If the frequency of the Dombivli-starting trains increases on this route, such accidents can be avoided.”

A CR spokesperson said that until the Kalyan railway yard remodelling project is completed, it will be very difficult to increase the number of trains. “On the main line, all six lines are in use. We are running as many trains as we can.”