Rooftop rides are fun but still kill

Rooftop travel is more an act of daredevilry than an indication of lack of space inside a train,Western Railway says after a survey last month.

Of the many groups we interviewed,one openly conceded they travelled on the roof only for fun and to enjoy fresh air, said Shyam Sunder Gupta,WR chief spokesperson. If there is a perception that there is no space in the train,commuters on the roof can easily get into the train. We have added 151 train services in the last one year, Gupta said.

The survey found that most rooftop travellers are in the age group 18 to 30. Many of those surveyed were school students.

Rooftop travellers,the survey found,generally prefer the last two coaches or the rear compartment (above the vendors compartment). Most climb the roof using a compartment window and the side ladder on the rear compartment of local trains.

The survey said most rooftop travellers board a train between Nalasopara and Bhayander stations. Most get down at Andheri,Bandra and Dadar. They are mainly workers of the small-scale industries in the northwestern suburbs of Mumbai.

Railway authorities have frequently published advertisements on the dangers of rooftop travel and stepped up action on such travellers but nothing has checked the trend. Even a Western Railway innovation,covering train roofs with plastic nails,has failed to work.

Travelling on the roof not only leads to people falling off trains but also makes them vulnerable to electrocution,especially since the conversion of DC sections to AC. AC involves a higher voltage than DC.

Story continues below this ad

Casualties caused by rooftop travel have risen year by year. On Western Railway trains alone,the total count of deaths and injuries has gone up from 38 in 2006 to 53 in 2007 and 56 in 2008 (see box).

Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram