A tragedy of neglect

The major suburban railway tragedy at the Elphinstone Road station during rush hour on Friday morning is a terrible reminder that our infrastructure is desperately in need of maintenance, repair or replacement. This is specially the case with the railways as a spate of accidents in Delhi and UP earlier this month, besides this latest accident in Mumbai, underline.

Twenty-two people were killed at Elphinstone Road and 39 injured. These are not small numbers. A high-level inquiry has been ordered, but a departmental inquiry is unlikely to inspire confidence unless it overtly seeks accuracy.

It is obvious that eyewitness accounts cannot be conclusive. A heavy downpour caused the stampede on the overpass connecting the station to the Lower Parel area, which is packed with offices. That is the simplest theory. Nevertheless, given the crush of commuters on the foot over-bridge (FOB), it is evident that the facility has long cried out for widening or replacing but the authorities did not take notice.

Some reported a short-circuit nearby which was accompanied by a loud blast, which made the commuters surge forward, contributing to the stampede. Others have spoken of some part of the structure falling, scaring those around.

Therefore, any inquiry will need to be detailed and punctilious. There has been criticism of the government for rooting for a bullet train without doing very much to refurbish the creaking infrastructure. This should not be permitted to make the government defensive. The idea is to come to conclusions that help us to dissect the malady and take timely, effective action.