MUMBAI, INDIA: Mumbai's local trains are known as the city's life line, carrying close to 60 lakh passengers a day.

And as migration into the city is never-ending, trains already packed like sardine tins, are getting worse by the day.

Each train has a capacity of about only 1800 people, but packs over 4,500 commuters each way.

And in view of the intense pressure with the city's ever-expanding population, the local trains are in desperate need to be upgraded.

Need for basic facilities

The Mumbaikars, who are the highest taxpayers in India, are still waiting for several basic conveniences and facilities.

"Sometimes I cannot even hold on to my files, the space crunch is so severe. I would like to climb onto trains more easily. For most of us, the problem is not fare hikes but the lack of facilities," said one commuter.

The latest project to upgrade the rail service is the Rs 3000-crore Mumbai Urban Transport Project.

But even when the project is complete in 2008, the pressure on trains would ease only by 30 per cent.

Several suggestions have been made for expansion and modernisation of the system such as a Bandra-Kurla rail link connecting Mumbai west to Mumbai east and schemes like metro rail and bullet train.

Better services and facilities at bigger stations and improvement of traffic movement near railway stations have also been suggested.

Lack of funds

But the biggest hitch facing the plans is lack of funds and cooperation of government bodies that will share the cost with the railways.

"Both the municipality and the state government should fund us. Help from just the Central Railways is not enough," said Dr S K Garg, VP, Passenger and Traffic Relief Association.

"Even when we want some land, the state and local government refuse help arguing that we are a Central subject. But we have to be taken into consideration by local bodies as well, as it is a local train network," he added.

Need for planning

Experts say that any improvement in Mumbai's local rail network can only be achieved with a special budgetary allocation and precise coordination between the Centre, the state and the local civic bodies.

"Increasing number of trains won't solve the problem. We need to upgrade quality. We need high-tech train services now," said another commuter.

While other cities are on a fast track with hi-tech trains, Mumbai still has a long way to go, grappling with increasing numbers for the present and planning for the future.

But in spite of these limitations, Mumbai rail network is one of the most efficient transportation services in the country.

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