Mumbai: Glossy tiles on railway station bridges turn into slip traps in rain

Commuters are fuming after the Railways spent crores on retiling station foot overbridges FOBs and concourses with glossy flooring that turns dangerously slippery in the rains From Bandra to Grant Road Dadar to Mumbai Central the new tiles are less a facelift and more a fall trap raising safety concerns yet againldquoI was hurrying to catch my morning train at Mulund taking the newly built central foot overbridge on the Kalyan side From a distance it looked impressive mdash shiny wide airy and modern But the moment I stepped onto it I realised it was dangerously slippery Despite wearing my monsoon shoes they slid on the tiles underfoot This was just after a slight drizzle and the floor had turned into a trapGrant Road Newly laid glossy tiles on FOB raise safety concerns for commutersAs I walked carefully I suddenly lost balancemdashmy foot skidded forward but I managed to steady myself before falling Since that close call I move nervously across the bridge almost tiptoeing to avoid a fall The new bridge has become a daily hazard The old bridges may be overcrowded but their rough flooring at least offers grip Thatrsquos why many of us still prefer them even when the new FOB is closer and more spacious The same tiles have been laid at Thane Kurla and Ghatkopar and all have the same problem Earlier such tiles used to be roughened up right after installation but no such precaution seems to have been taken hererdquo said Mulund student commuter Gandharva PurohitSafety vs shineHas the Railwaysrsquo fad of ldquoimproving faccediladesrdquo gone horribly wrong Commuters rushing through suburban stations and foot overbridges FOBs this monsoon say so Gleaming granite and vitrified tiles mdash marketed as modern durable and attractive mdash have instead turned into skating rinksDadar Gleaming new flooring at Dadar station staircase becomes a slip hazard in wet weatherDespite repeated complaints of slips and near falls Railways continue to use granite flooring in station upgrades citing durability aesthetics and low maintenance The issue is most acute on newly built FOBs and stations redeveloped under the Amrit Bharat scheme ldquoRunning for a train becomes risky especially on FOBs and staircases One wrong step and you can sliprdquo said Sohum Mhatre a daily traveller from KalyanMulund Shiny new flooring on the foot overbridge at Mulund station which becomes a slip hazard during monsoonMost of these slippery tiles were installed under Prime Minister Narendra Modirsquos Amrit Bharat Station Upgrade plan which ironically was meant to make stations safer and commuterfriendly The problem is persistent all over India across stations and foot overbridges due to the Central governmentrsquos focus on aesthetics rather than utility and qualityWhy granite and vitrifiedRailway engineers defend the choice Granite they say is among the hardest natural stones stain and fireresistant requiring little upkeep Vitrified tiles are lighter cheaper faster to lay and easier to source in bulk while still offering a glossy finishFOB between Bandra and Khar Shiny new flooring on the foot overbridge between Bandra and Khar turns slippery in the rainsldquoIn hightraffic zones this flooring lasts much longer than other materials and is far more durable It also gives stations a premium modern look in line with Amrit Bharat and MRVC upgrades Granite is used only in premium stations lounges or heritagestyle restorations since it is costlier and heavierrdquo a senior railway official saidOfficials also claimed that precautions had been taken antislip treatments rough finishes and Kota stone mixes on walkways ldquoThe idea is to balance heritage and modern looks with commuter safetyrdquo a spokesperson said Voices of concernRitesh Karkera advocateldquoTherersquos a thin line between cleanliness and fancy Granite flooring on railway platforms is not just a waste of public money but an open invitation to mishaps Safety must come before showpiece projectsrdquoShreyas Save CommuterldquoMany stations have vitrified and granite flooring that becomes slippery during rains Please replace these with antiskid tiles or apply textured finishes Check Charni Road and Mumbai Central FOBsrdquoShailesh Goyal a former member of the National Railway Users Consultative CommitteeldquoVitrified and granite may look shiny and modern but for lakhs of commuters racing against time safety underfoot is what matters On staircases these tiles are particularly dangerous because of their sharp edgesrdquoKhurshed Lawyer commuterldquoGranite flooring is glamorous and easy to clean no doubt But it is risky in every season especially the monsoon It must be roughed up or replacedrdquoOther commuters echoed similar concernsHemant SolankildquoThe glossy tiles at Ghatkopar under the FOB are a monsoon risk They must be replacedrdquoHemant BharatildquoAll new staircases are slippery Accidents are bound to happenrdquoSvetlana PintoldquoSame problem at Grant Road You need to walk extra carefullyrdquoVishal KhedkarldquoSlippery pink tiles at Vikhroli platformsmdashhow did this even get approvedrdquoRules versus realityThese justifications however clash with Indian Railwaysrsquo own rulebooksManual of Standards amp Specifications for Railway Stations 2009 Floors must be ldquoslip resistantrdquo Platform finishes must be ldquohard durable nonsliprdquo Granite allowed only with antiskid finishRailway Board Amenities Compilation 2023 Antiskid properties mandatory for platforms staircases and concourses Granite restricted to cladding and deacutecorAmrit Bharat Redevelopment Guidelines 2022ndash23 Granite and vitrified tiles only for faccedilades and ticketing halls antiskid vitrified Kota stone or tactile flooring mandated for FOBs and platformsIndian Railways Works Manual amp CPWD specifications Polished stone must be treated with antislip coating or roughened finish before being used on walkwaysOn the ground though commuters point to shiny surfaces at Khar Ghatkopar Mahalaxmi Charni Road Mumbai Central Dadar Thane and even CSMT