Hawkers clogging footbridges and ramps, vendors spilling onto platforms, goods piled at exits, and virtually no crowd control — Ghatkopar railway station has become a ticking time bomb for commuters. Once briefly cleared for a VIP visit just two weeks ago, the station has now descended into a dangerous free-for-all, with blocked access points and crush-prone conditions that regulars say could trigger the next big tragedy.

Just two weeks ago, the station had been cleared and sanitised for a visit by the Railway Board chairman and CEO. Meetings between senior railway officials and Metro authorities had discussed solutions to decongest the station. Now, local staff appear to have abandoned crowd control altogether, creating what commuters are calling a “perfect recipe for a disaster.”

A bicycle parked on the platform adds to commuter inconvenience. Pics/Rajendra B Aklekar