Sunday, December 30, 2007

The Increasing Crowd at Andheri Station

Andheri Station is the most crowded Railway Station in Mumbai - most of the crowd starts and ends there! Thats because there are numerous companies both on the East and the West side. Not only that, Andheri extends right till Chandivli/ Powai on the East side and many companies have their offices there because it turns out cheaper cost-wise!
Commuters on the Western Railway line travelling right from Chakala to Saki Naka to SEEPZ to Chandivli to Powai (on the East side) as well as people going towards Amboli to Versova to Lokhandwala (on the West side), all get off at Andheri Station!
So the situation during peak hours at the station is one hell-of-a-chaos! There's nearly a stampede as all try to run towards the staircase at once as soon as their train halts there! And there are also people trying to get off the stairs at the same time resulting in more chaos!!! And women smartly being alert and keeping men at bay by moving behind each other. There's swearing, screaming and loud words flowing as people try to find their way across the staircase towards the bridge above!
But their woes don't end there. Because the 'ticket checkers' stand there blocking the whole bridge adding to the misery of commuters. Everyone likes an easy job, don't they? I dare them to step into the trains and check the tickets like the earlier times. Because checking on overhead bridges has only increased the number of Second Class ticket holders travelling in First Class. People are so confident that no TC will come to check the tickets that they laugh as if those who buy a First Class tickets are fools!
After you overcome this hurdle and move towards the Eastern side, there is a bigger crowd! Some coming into the station and some moving out! The entire situation on Andheri East station through Andheri-Kurla Road is worse, but thats a different story altogether! Let's concentrate on the problems at Andheri station.
But as of now, we need bigger or more staircases at the station. And no TCs waiting on the bridges and blocking the crowd! Please check tickets inside the trains or right outside the respective compartments and feel the problems of the travellers! Earn your living the tough way, man!

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