Date: 13 January 2014 To, Shri Milind Deora, Minister of State, Communications, IT & Shipping, Government of India; And

MP, Mumbai South, 16, Khetan Bhawan, 198 J. Tata Road Churchgate, Mumbai - 400 020 mdeoraoffice@gmail.com / milind.deora@sansad.nic.in

Dear Sir, We request your urgent intervention and your taking up the issue of stopping deaths on Mumbai rail tracks due to the wide gap between platforms and trains. We at Moneylife Foundation and Samir Zaveri Railway Helpline (http://foundation.moneylife.in/?page_id=6196 ) as well as Coalition of Safe Rail Travel (https://www.facebook.com/groups/507924329252875/) have been pushing for raising the heights of railway platforms for over a year. However, the tragedy of a girl who lost both her arms at Ghatkopar station due to the wide gap between platform and local train has highlighted the URGENT NEED to take up the issue of raising platform heights. This report from DNA news paper and the photographs depicts how urgent the need is. http://epaper.dnaindia.com/story.aspx?id=57862&boxid=39507&ed_date=2014-0106&ed_code=820009&ed_page=5 Samir Zaveri has taken up all these issues for several years now. He even has got the Courts to issue orders to Railway officials on these issues (Kindly see the annexure); however so far there is not much response from them. For example, 71-year old PN Sridharan has been raising several issues with the authorities at Ghatkopar station, however, this senior citizen had been told to meet other authorities as per their own convenience with no one ready to take any part or action. Personal interaction with Samir Zaveri and other Railways Experts Alternate Saturday 11am-1pm at Moneylife Knowledge Centre, Dadar (W), Mumbai 400028
Call 022-49205000 or email at railwayhelp@moneylife.in for prior appointment

The abovementioned specific incident also highlights the apathy of Railway officials in providing basic medical facilities and ambulance at Ghatkopar, one of the busiest stations that will be more crowded due to the upcoming Mumbai Metro, which would connect this station to Andheri on the Western Railway line. Here are more specific articles from DNA on the wide gap between train and platforms across Mumbai suburban network. 1. Mumbai: Hop on to lifeline, with care http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report-mumbai-hop-on-to-lifeline-with-care-1946601 and 2. Mumbai local: Central Railway platforms provide height of horror http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report-mumbai-local-cental-railway-platforms-provideheight-of-horror-1947035 Even the Bombay High Court had to issue show cause notices to Railway officials for not following its orders on several occasions. Kindly see the annexure (orders/notices attached with this letter separately) Annexure: 1. Take preventive measure by reducing gap at stations and render emergency, first-aid facility to accident victims at Railways cost (6 October 2004) 2. Show cause notice for not complying with the aforesaid court directives (13 January 2011) 3. Show cause notice for not complying with the aforesaid court directives (21 January 2011) 4. Make available an ambulance near station within five to ten minutes of accident (28 February 2011) 5. Setting up Emergency Medical Rooms at various suburban railway stations across Mumbai There is one silver lining, though. Adv Bapoo Malcolm, who is a part of our group, managed to get the railway authorities to raise the platform height at Grant Road station on a priority basis by filing a complaint and following it up. We are writing to you to urge you on behalf of all Mumbaikars to take up the issue of reducing the gap between the platform and trains across the Mumbai suburban network with the Railway authorities. This would save the lives of thousands of rail commuters in Mumbai who are facing

Personal interaction with Samir Zaveri and other Railways Experts Alternate Saturday 11am-1pm at Moneylife Knowledge Centre, Dadar (W), Mumbai 400028
Call 022-49205000 or email at railwayhelp@moneylife.in for prior appointment

threats to their lives due to this wide gap. We look forward to your quick response and decisive action. Looking forward to your urgent intervention with hope and anticipation, Yours truly

Sucheta Dalal Founding Trustee Moneylife Foundation Attachments: Orders/notices issued by Bombay High Court in railway problems 1. Take preventive measure by reducing gap at stations and render emergency, first-aid facility to accident victims at Railways cost (6 October 2004) 2. Show cause notice for not complying with the aforesaid court directives (13 January 2011) 3. Show cause notice for not complying with the aforesaid court directives (21 January 2011) 4. Make available an ambulance near station within five to ten minutes of accident (28 February 2011) 5. Setting up Emergency Medical Rooms at various suburban railway stations across Mumbai

Personal interaction with Samir Zaveri and other Railways Experts Alternate Saturday 11am-1pm at Moneylife Knowledge Centre, Dadar (W), Mumbai 400028
Call 022-49205000 or email at railwayhelp@moneylife.in for prior appointment