Mumbai train deaths: 14,000 bodies still unclaimed; victims never identified, families left in the dark; 15 years of heartbreak on the tracks

MUMBAI: Almost one-third of those who have died on the railway lines in the Mumbai region over the past 15 years have remained unclaimed, an RTI response has revealed.

The number of people who remained unidentified after losing their lives in train accidents on the suburban network adds up to more than 14,000 between 2009 and 2024.

The deaths span a distance from CSMT to Kasara and Khopoli on Central Railway main lines, CSMT to Panvel on the harbour route, and Churchgate to Dahanu on Western Railway line.They make up 31% (14,513) of the total people (46,969) who died mainly from falling off trains or crossing the tracks in this period. They could not be restored to their next of kin despite efforts by GRP to trace their families.Data obtained through the RTI plea by city doctor Dr Sarosh Mehta shows the percentage of unclaimed bodies started to rise from 2019 onward. Typically, the casualties have numbered around 2,500 annually in the last three years, a significant decline from the 3,400-3,700 range in previous decades. Data shows overall fatalities have been decreasing every year since 2012. The only exception was 2022 when people stuck at home due to the pandemic started returning to work on the city's lifeline.Establishing the identity of a railway accident victim is challenging, said police. Sometimes the bodies are mangled beyond recognition and belongings like phones or identity cards are not found.