Suburban railway accident insurance for Mumbai season tickets

Suburban railway accident insurance has become the focus of a new appeal by a Mumbai-based passenger association, which is seeking better protection for season ticket holders facing frequent mishaps on the local train network.

This is reported by the railway transport news portal Railway Supply.

Why suburban railway accident insurance is needed?

Diva-based activist Ananda Patil of the Mumbai-based Marathi Ekikaran Samiti draws attention to the daily risks suburban railway season ticket holders face in overcrowded Mumbai local trains.

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He cites repeated cases of commuters falling from moving trains, incidents that have led to several passengers losing their lives. Railway officials maintain that they are trying to relieve pressure by expanding services and facilities, including capacity upgrades on the Mumbai suburban network, as previously covered by Railway Supply. Patil, however, argues that these steps still fall short for the growing number of distant suburban commuters who rely on the railways as the cheapest and fastest way to reach Mumbai and Thane.

Proposal to cover season ticket and single-journey passengers

Patil points out that accident insurance is already offered to long-distance passengers who book tickets online through the Optional Travel Insurance Scheme for e-ticket passengers operated via IRCTC, as described in a Press Information Bureau release. Building on this, he has urged the Railway Board in New Delhi to extend a similar Mumbai local train season ticket insurance scheme to all monthly, quarterly and annual suburban passes, with only a nominal additional fee. Under the same proposal, single-journey ticket holders could also opt in to the scheme, gaining coverage for accidental death, permanent disability and hospitalisation in the event of serious injuries sustained in railway mishaps.

Financial security and unresolved compensation cases

According to Patil, railway accidents often impose a heavy financial burden on households, especially when the injured or deceased commuter is the main earning member of the family. Putting suburban railway accident insurance in place would not only improve safety but also provide crucial financial security for families of victims.

He also refers to several instances in which victims of railway mishaps are still waiting for compensation from the authorities. Among them are commuters affected by the June 9 Mumbra accident who, nearly five months after the incident, continue to await compensation — a situation echoed in local coverage such as Mid-Day and one that underlines the need for more reliable financial protection for Mumbai and Thane commuters.

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