Overcrowding is particularly acute on the Western railway (WR) stretch and commuters have been demanding more trains. Conflicts between passengers, especially between Borivali and Virar have been reported.

This has led to several unpleasant situations and many commuters have been booked for unruly behaviour.

Last year, some 54 commuters were booked for not cooperating with fellow commuters, says Ashok Sharma, Mumbai railway police commissioner. The offences ranged from one commuter not allowing others to board the train or some others not allowing co-passengers to sit.

“The fine imposed on them ranged from Rs 200 to Rs 500,” says Sharma, “Most of the cases were registered at the Andheri and Borivali railway police stations.”

The Railway Protection Force claims to be taking action to prevent such behaviour, but that has proved to be of little help so far.

On Wednesday’s incident, a Borivali resident, K Janardan says: “Between 8.45 am and 9.15 am, there is only one Borivali-Churchgate fast train at 9.10 am. If this train is cancelled or its location shifted, it is nothing but harassment of commuters. At the same time there are fast trains from Virar heading for Churchgate every three to five minutes, but Borivali commuters are hardly allowed to board them.”

Commuters beyond Virar on the other hand say Borivali has a train every three minutes.

Such problems can also been seen on Central Railway (CR) stretch, especially the Karjat, Kasara, Khopoli and Asangaon trains, which have a lower frequency.

There are also reports of commuters not allowing fellow passengers to alight between Dadar and Thane. “But such cases on Central Railway are few,” says a CR official.

The official adds, “Unlike WR, which has only 28 stations, CR has 78. The CR has 22 stations where local trains either start or terminate. In case of the WR, it has passengers going only in one direction in peak hours.”

Meanwhile, commuter associations have dismissed the conflicts between commuters as minor. “Clashes between passengers are mostly rumours and spiced up,” adds Anand Kamble, convenor of Pravaas Adhikaar Andolan Samiti. “Virar trains are crowded beyond limit and very few trains have been introduced in this section during peak hours. There is also a need to increase Borivali trains due to overcrowding.”

It all boils down to train frequency. Last year, commuters at Virar and Nallasopara ran riot for more services but new services have failed to meet commuter needs.

With the help of new rakes procured from the Mumbai Rail Vikas Corporation (MRVC), the WR has increased daily services from 1,156 to 1,196. Noticeable is that of the services introduced since January 26, Virar section has bagged 80 per cent. CR increased its daily services to 1,410 from 1,356. All these have mostly been increased on the Virar section on WR and beyond Thane on CR.