‘Gas chambers on rails’: Commuters recall nightmarish experience in overcrowded local trains during peak rush; call for urgent reforms

Commuters on Mumbai’s Kalyan-Thane stretch demand urgent solutions to severe overcrowding on local trains. Daily travelers describe chaotic conditions, dangerous boarding struggles, and health risks, especially during peak hours. Many blame the replacement of non-AC trains with costly AC services and suggest staggered office timings. Overcrowding, they say, leads to injuries and life-threatening situations, highlighting a worsening crisis.