Mumbai, May 21: The Central Railway is acting in advance to combat the issues faced by commuters on Mumbai local train grid throughout the four months of rainfall. At least four quick response teams (QRTs) are being planned by CR as its prepares for Monsoon 2019. The teams would be stationed at Thane, Kalyan, Dadar and Kurla railway stations.

The four stations where the proposed QRTs would be stationed are among those stops which witness the highest footfall. Located at key junctures, lakhs of people board and deboard the trains from here. Mumbai Locals: Buy 'Tourist Ticket' to Travel Unlimited All Suburban Routes; Check Prices & Details

In Kurla, the average daily footfall is around 6.36 lakh. The number hovers around 2.3 lakh in Kurla, and nearly 2.25 lakh and 1.80 lakh at Thane and Kalyan stations, respectively.

According to CR chief public relations officer Sunil Udasi, the four QRTs with 60 members each would be deployed at these stations for crowd management at peak hours, initiating immediate rescue operation and provide first-aid to injured commuters.

In Monsoon, the number of train commuters increase as those plying by bus or bike prefer to use the locals which is considered a safer and quicker mode of transport amid rains.

However, trains are prone to get delayed due to the rough weather, floods and waterlogging on the tracks. In such situations, the crowd swells at stations creating situation for stampede.

Even as Monsoon could be the trigger for deployment of QRTs, the decision to deploy such teams at key railway stations was taken in September 2017, when a stampede at Elphinstone Road station ended up killing 23 persons.

Following the Elphinstone Road tragedy in September 2017 in which 23 persons died, the railways has decided to focus on crowd management.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 21, 2019 12:32 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).