Women commuters oppose extension of Vasai train

Mumbai: A group of women commuters has opposed the move to extend the services of a Churchgate-bound train originating from Vasai to Virar, saying that the passengers would not be allowed to board a train from Borivali due to the crowd. The group also demanded that the system of converting a ladies compartment into a general one between 11 pm and 5.30 am be abolished. The women passengers and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Shaina N.C. met the Western Railway general manager A.K. Gupta over this issue on Monday.

Regular travellers of the 9.56 am ladies special from Vasai had approached Ms Shaina to intervene for them to get relief from WR. She had apprised Mr Gupta of the commuter’s grievances.

“Woman commuters who travel in the first class compartment, from Mira Road and Dahisar pay more for travelling on the footboard. So the proposal to extend the 9.56 am ladies special from Vasai to Virar is not going to help the ladies commuters of Borivali, Dahisar and Mira Road. Hence, Vasai trains should not be extended as it is convenient to many commuters are travelling from Vasai. Though we don’t get seats to sit. But one can travel peacefully, without the fear of falling on the tracks. If it is extended to Virar, We will be back to travelling on footboard,” said advocate Rohini M. Amin, who travels from Dahisar to Churchgate daily in Vasai train.

Ms Shaina said that Mr Gupta has assured us that he would come up with a solution within a week’s time. “We have also dem-anded a special additional ladies coach in the Vasai to Churchagate and Bhaya-nder to Dadar local train from Western Railway,” Ms Shaina added.