Mumbai: Railways blames Elphinstone stampede tragedy on rains, overcrowding on bridge

In the aftermath of the stampede on the foot overbridge at the Elphinstone station in Mumbai, the Railways has released a statement, blaming the tragedy on the rains. The statement says that rains led to the mishap by forcing the count of commuters using the bridge to swell.

As many as 22 people have been killed and over 30 injured in the incident. This despite multiple warnings about the bridge having been issued, which the authorities turned a deaf ear to.

The question that we are asking at People's Court is why do Mumbaikars in particular and people in general across the country have to on a regular basis deal with the menace of potholes on roads, overflowing drains, and death on the tracks when we pay all our taxes. What will it take to shake our  politicians out of slumber and get them to work to ensure common man's safety?

India Today  has accessed former railway minister's warning letter. In 2015, Shiv Sena MP Rahul Shivale and Arvind Sawant had requested former Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu to widen the bridge as the commuter rush especially during peak hours, heightened fears of a stampede-like situation.

But all these warnings fell on deaf ears. Suresh Prabhu chose to ignore it, saying Railways didn't have enough funds for the project, and blamed global slowdown.

Congress, Shiv Sena and the Left have attacked the BJP and the Modi government for failing to provide and ensure basic safety measures for the common man.