Mumbai counts 12 million people in it; as the number says, it’s pretty chaotic and diversified. When we think about Mumbai, we consider things like people chasing their dreams, but mainly the city is known for its fast lifestyle. Moving the city at this speed brings her financial success and reputation. The local train is why people in the city can travel with so much rapidness and convenience.
Some basic information regarding local train
As a student, traveling with the locals has become a part of my daily routine. Every morning at 6 I take the train from Virar to Malad (to my college) so I have a pretty good idea about traveling by train in Mumbai. The train schedule is so good that every 5 minutes there will be a train to wherever you want to travel across Mumbai, according to data 2,985 local trains are running in Mumbai (India today 2021) and recently AC locals are also added for better convenience of the passenger. There are three separate lines in Mumbai and i.e. western, central, and harbor. All three have their different train timings and stations. The only thing that is common among these lines is the rush of people. In each train, there are three types of coaches (first class, second class, and luggage). Locals aren’t an easy task for outsiders (not Mumbaikars) and that’s the reason many people do not find the city fit according to their lifestyle. Adjustment is something that would be expected from an individual and the same he/she will learn by traveling with Mumbai locals.
Issues I noticed while traveling on local
Many workers from other states come to Mumbai in search of work, and they are in big numbers. They don’t have proper houses to live in and therefore make their slum huts (juggi) alongside the railway station. I travel to Goregaon from Malad often, while getting to the Goregaon station I see some people defecating alongside the railway tracks. Even though Mumbai has announced itself as an open-defecation-free city we get these kinds of scenes. It’s very devastating to see why people are still not getting their basic needs such as toilets and if they’re getting why aren’t they utilizing them? It’s a critical issue that should be discussed at the higher levels. Because it’s polluting the city and making lives difficult. Defecationin the open can directly affect the nutritional value of an infant and as we all know so many people traveling in local trains pass by these areas. The migrated workers should be provided with their necessities and this concern should be given deserved importance.
