Daily Times

Sir: It is heartbreaking that 22 people been killed and many injured in a tragic stampede on the bridge at Elphinstone railway station in Mumbai, India. The entire story and related pictures are quite tragic.

Sadly, such tragic accidents are only waiting to happen in Mumbai. The fact is that Mumbai has long been hanging in the balance, crying for attention of the authorities on the various fronts such as infrastructure and other public facilities.

The pain of travelling on Mumbai local trains especially in the rush hour cannot be explained in words but has to be experienced. Though Mumbai is the City Of All (meaning a hub of modernity), factors like congestion, overloaded trains and lack of support from the authorities are all adding to Mumbai’s problems. As a citizen of Mumbai, I have all observed and experienced all these disturbing things.

Who will help and save Mumbai — India’s big metropolitan city? This is a serious question that must be analysed in a sensible way.

Mumbai’s survival in the midst of the rising population and activities needs to be safeguarded at all costs. To start with, serious steps and proper plans are required to improve Mumbai’s infrastructure. This includes initiatives like increasing the facilities at railway stations and on roads.

Both the Maharashtra government and the Indian government should pay attention to all the problems facing the people in Mumbai — the sooner the better.

P SENTHIL SARAVANA

Mumbai, India

Published in Daily Times, October 15^th 2017.