Archive · 23 Sep 2026
PAC Seeks Wider CSMT Access Amid Congestion and Water Concerns
A parliamentary committee visited Mumbai’s CSMT railway station during a busy evening period.
Many people were moving through the station to catch suburban and long-distance trains.
The committee said a wider entrance and exit on the northern side could reduce crowding.
It also checked toilets, fans, drinking-water taps and water vending machines.
The visit followed concerns about railway passenger facilities and water quality.
Central Railway said newer water tests were satisfactory and found no harmful contamination.
Railway officials are planning more regular testing and better monitoring.
The committee will meet railway officials again to discuss improvements.
The Public Accounts Committee inspected CSMT during Mumbai’s evening rush on September 22, 2026.
The panel called for a wider northern entry and exit to ease passenger congestion.
Members reviewed drinking-water facilities, toilets, fans and other passenger amenities.
Central Railway said later water samples showed no E. coli or bacteriological contamination.
The PAC will discuss sanitation, overcrowding, amenities and infrastructure with railway officials.
- Who
- The Public Accounts Committee, led by K C Venugopal, inspected CSMT with Central Railway officials and security personnel.
- What
- The committee reviewed congestion, access points, drinking water and other passenger amenities.
- When
- The inspection took place on Tuesday, September 22, 2026, at about 5 p.m.; further discussions were scheduled for Wednesday.
- Where
- Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus in Mumbai, including its suburban concourse and long-distance terminus.
- Why
- To assess congestion and passenger facilities while examining concerns raised by the Comptroller and Auditor General about railway amenities and drinking-water quality.
Passenger concerns
Railway response
Crowding and station access
Passenger concerns
The PAC said the station needs a wider northern entry and exit to distribute passenger movement and ease congestion.
Railway response
Railway officials briefed the panel on station augmentation, underground rail tunnels and other infrastructure projects intended to address congestion.
Drinking-water quality
Passenger concerns
The PAC reviewed water facilities amid concerns raised by the Comptroller and Auditor General about drinking-water quality at railway stations.
Railway response
Central Railway said corrective and preventive measures had been taken and that subsequent samples showed no E. coli or bacteriological contamination.
Passenger amenities
Passenger concerns
The inspection highlighted the need to examine toilets, fans, water facilities and conditions for passengers waiting at the long-distance terminus.
Railway response
Central Railway said fans and toilets were functioning and described plans for tank replacement, scheduled cleaning, source-and-outlet testing and centralized monitoring.
- Inspection time
- Around 5 p.m. during the evening peak hour
- Inspection duration
- Nearly 30 minutes
- Proposed improvement
- A wider entry and exit point at the station’s northern end
- Current water capacity
- Reportedly 750 litres per hour
- Water-test result
- Subsequent samples were reported satisfactory, with no E. coli or bacteriological contamination detected
- Testing expansion
- Central Railway proposed wider monitoring arrangements at around 20,000 points
- Next discussions
- The PAC was scheduled to meet Railway Ministry, Central Railway and Western Railway officials on Wednesday