[Reader-list] PUKAR: lighting at central railway stations in mumbai

[abshi at vsnl.com]

Are you worried about the levels of lighting at your suburban Central Railway station???

Help us increase illumination at Central Railway Stations!!!

Write to us at railwaylighting at yahoo.com and we will convey your concerns to the CR authorities. 

The Gender & Space project at PUKAR (Partners for Urban Knowledge Action & Research), Mumbai in dialogue with Central Railway (CR) is trying to increase the lighting levels at Mumbai suburban railway stations on the Main and Harbour lines of the CR. An article about this initiative has appeared in the Times of India, July 15th, 2005.

In a study the Gender & Space Project conducted through a questionnaire among 116 women train commuters on the three lines, Western, Central Main and Central Harbour in regard to women?s perception of safety, we found that lighting was among the two factors that most contribute to women?s sense of safety at railway stations. The other factor was familiarity with the railway station.  

Further to this study, between August 2004 and January 2005, the Gender & Space project in dialogue with Central Railway (CR) conducted a comprehensive study of illumination at suburban railway stations from CST to Thane on the Main line and CST to Mankhurd on the Harbour line. Across the world women particularly have pointed to lighting as an important factor promoting a sense of increased safety and therefore access. 

Stations were assessed for adequacy of lighting in five areas: (1) entrances & exits, (2) ticket counter areas, (3) foot-over-bridges & staircases, (4) platforms, and (5) toilets. A report was submitted to the CR and they have been improving lighting based on our suggestions. However, we would welcome more suggestions from commuters who use these stations and have specific concerns about areas that are badly lit and constitute spaces which appear unsafe. 

So far, only stations upto Kurla on the Main line have been attended to but other work is in progress and we have noticed enhanced lighting at the Chembur and Govandi stations on the Harbour line. The concerned railway authorities, particularly Mr. Rajesh Patil, Senior Divisional Electrical Engineer, have been most helpful. For instance, the lighting on the foot-over-bridge at CST station has increased from 8 lights to 14. 

We are aware that lighting can be only one part of an effort towards making Mumbai city safer for its citizens. We are also aware that some citizens may actively seek the anonymity the city offers, the pleasure of being less visible and increased lighting may work against their interests. We do not advocate increased lighting in all spaces. We do however feel that functional spaces such as a railway station, which people have to use out of necessity, need to be better illuminated so that people using them feel comfortable. 

Please e-mail your concerns in regard to lighting at ANY CENTRAL SUBURBAN RAILWAY STATION to us at : railwaylighting at yahoo.com and we will forward them to the CR authorities. 

PUKAR (Partners for Urban Knowledge Action and Research)
Mumbai