Those caught in the chaotic stampede that erupted at Bandra Terminus on Sunday say the terminus is not the only one in the city that has similarly dangerous conditions. Victims, including those with serious injuries in the ICU, recounted the overcrowded and unsafe conditions, noting that similar issues also plague Kurla station. With festival travel surging for Chhath Puja and Diwali, passengers are calling for better crowd management underscoring the urgent need for infrastructure improvements in Mumbai’s railway system. 

Ramsevak Prajapati, a victim of the stampede who found himself under the train, expressed his horror to mid-day: “It was a horrifying experience. I was going to my native place in UP for Chhath Puja and Diwali. As soon as the train arrived, people rushed to the doors to get inside. Everyone was pushing the person in front or beside them. Amid all this pushing, someone shoved me. I couldn’t find ground to stabilise myself, and the next second, I was under the train. I slipped into the gap between the train and the platform. I have injuries across my lower body, with possible fractures in my right leg. I was trapped under the train for about five minutes before the police rescued me. Those five minutes were terrifying; I felt like my life would end there.”