Mumbai: Over 2,200 Deaths in 2025 Expose Mounting Safety Crisis on Mumbai’s Suburban Rail Network
Mumbai, 5th February 2026: Travel on Mumbai’s suburban railway network has become alarmingly hazardous, with official data showing that 2,287 passengers lost their lives in train-related accidents in 2025, an average of about 13 deaths per day, highlighting serious safety challenges on India’s busiest commuter system.
According to figures compiled from the Mumbai Railway Police and official accident records, a total of 4,841 railway accidents occurred across the suburban network between January 1 and December 31, 2025. Alongside the fatalities, 2,554 passengers were injured in these incidents.
Accident Patterns and Contributing Factors-
The railway authorities and police data show that a significant number of fatalities and injuries have resulted from:
1. Falls from Local Trains:
There were 1,713 reported incidents of passengers falling from moving local trains during 2025. These accidents claimed 525 lives and left 1,188 people injured. Overcrowding, passengers standing near open doors, and the lack of adequate space to stand safely during peak hours were cited as key contributing factors.
2. Crossing Tracks:
Another major cause of accidents was passengers crossing railway tracks at unauthorized locations due to a lack of pedestrian bridges or underpasses. There were 1,298 such incidents, resulting in 1,063 deaths and 235 injuries. Officials note that the absence of safe crossing infrastructure is directly linked to these preventable tragedies.
Railway sources and commuters have pointed to multiple issues compounding the risk for travellers:
-Severe overcrowding during peak travel hours, with many commuters forced to travel hanging outside train doors.
-Instances of trains arriving or departing at high speeds from stations.
-Inadequate passenger amenities and safety measures in several segments of the network.
-Local newspaper reports have described the suburban trains, once dubbed Mumbai’s “lifeline,” as increasingly hazardous for daily commuters.
The grim statistics have intensified calls from commuter groups, safety advocates, and civic commentators for urgent improvements, including:
-Installation of more foot overbridges and underpasses to prevent unsafe track crossing.
-Strengthened enforcement against travel on train steps and near open doors.
-Infrastructure upgrades and better crowd management at stations.
-Awareness campaigns to educate commuters about train safety.
Railway officials have acknowledged the serious nature of the data and say they are reviewing safety protocols, though specific action plans are yet to be formally announced.
