Thousands of commuters use the two stations and the bridge every day as many officers are in the area.
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A railway official said a 12-meter wide foot overbridge was sanctioned to connect the platform with the adjoining Parel station – which had an opening to a road on one side.
According to some eyewitness accounts, the old foot over bridge was narrow and commuters who used that bridge said this was a disaster waiting to happen.
A stampede broke out on a crowded pedestrian bridge connecting two railway stations in Mumbai during the Friday morning rush, killing at least 22 people and injuring 32 others, Indian officials said.
A Saxena, Director General (PR), Railways said that people waited at the station due to heavy rain. “When people were trying to rush to their trains, the stampede happened”. Because of the rain, a few people slipped and it led to a heart wrenching tragedy.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to Twitter as saying, “My deepest condolences to all those who have lost their lives due to the stampede in Mumbai”. “The injured are being provided medical treatment at the nearest hospitals”.
Medicial officials have said that the death toll is likely to rise, as many more were left with severe injuries.
Railway Minister Piyush Goyal also assured that all suburban stations in Mumbai would be inspected within a week.
The MNS chief further gave an assurance about taking effective infrastructure measures to improve the efficiency of the local train network in Mumbai.
Stampedes are also common at India’s religious festivals with police and volunteer stewards often overwhelmed by crowds.
According to PTI, police suspect that a short-circuit with a loud sound occurred near the foot overbridge, leading to panic.
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The festival-eve calamity sparked off angry reactions on social media, with many questioning lapses vis-a-vis safety and security of commuters even as projects like Bullet Trains are announced with fanfare.
