Mumbai: The Bombay High Court on Friday pulled up “so-called activists” for approaching it on the issue of commuter safety only after the Elphinstone Road station stampede, and asked why they woke up to the “serious and sensitive” issue only after the death of so many people. It also appointed advocate Zal Andhyarujina as amicus curiae in the case.
On September 29, a stampede on the stairwell of a narrow foot overbridge (FOB) at the station left 23 dead and over 30 injured. Soon after the mishap, four PILs were filed in the HC seeking directions to the Railways for measures to ensure better passenger safety.
A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Manjula Chellur and Justice N.M. Jamdar said, “The cause is serious. This is a serious problem but these petitioners before us only want to self advertise. We are of the opinion that the cause is serious and sensitive and hence we will appoint a lawyer as amicus curiae to assist us in the matter,” Chief Justice Chellur said. “All these prayers the petitioners should have sought before the incident,” Justice Jamdar said.
The Bench was hearing two PILs, one by Thane resident Vikrant Tawde seeking judicial inquiry into the stampede and another by Smita Mayank Dhruva, president of the Congress’s South Mumbai division, seeking measures for better crowd management.
The court also directed Ms. Dhruva to file an affidavit detailing the work done by her in the past for the cause at Elphinstone Road railway station. “Petitioner Smita Dhruva to file an affidavit stating as president of Congress party’s South Mumbai division what attention she paid to the congestion at the station concerned prior to the incident,” the court directed.
In his petition, Mr. Tawde sought for an exercise to identify similar high-risk railway stations, give top priority to widening of bridges and a zero tolerance policy towards hawkers and encroachers on bridges. The petitions will be heard again after four weeks.
