Elphinstone station is usually crowded during peak hours as it caters to office-goers in the Lower Parel area.
MUMBAI: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announces Rs 5 lakh as compensation for the victims in a tragedy. Railways Minister Piyush Goyal ordered officials to cut the red tape and start working on shorter deadlines.
At least 23 people died and over 30 were injured in the stampede that took place on a narrow foot-over-bridge (FoB) that connects the Elphinstone Road on the Western Railway to Parel on the Central line.
The Railway employees joined the city in mourning the Elphinstone Road station tragedy by not celebrating Dussehra festival.
Late Friday night Mumbaikars took out a candle march on the Elphinstone railway bridge and prayed for the departed souls.
The Maharashtra government and Mumbai civic body who gave permission for vertical development of central Mumbai should share the blame for the incident. Both the state and city governments were well aware of the development in the area, but did little to upgrade the infrastructure there.
Mr Goyal said any concessions required to accommodate space constraints at railway platforms would be sorted out immediately. Mumbai Police said there is a shortage of A -ve, B -ve and AB -ve blood group in KEM hospital.
Railway Minister Piyush Goyal said that in next seven days, all suburban stations will be inspected to identify vulnerable issues. We will speed up work on foot overbridges.
President Ram Nath Kovind reacted to the Elphinstone stampede. “Anguished by the loss of lives in the stampede in Mumbai. Condolences to the bereaved families; prayers with injured,” he wrote on Twitter.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolences on the Elphinstone stampede in Mumbai which has left 22 dead. “Situation in Mumbai is being continuously monitored.
Congress President Sonia Gandhi said the Elphinstone stampede was “a man-made disaster”. Mumbai Mayor Vishwanath Mahadeshwar, who visited the scene, said it was the responsibility of the Western Railway authorities to ensure commuters’ safety.
