'No Commute At Cost Of Life': Mumbai Man Quits Local Trains After Near-Death Experience, Pays 6 Times More Rent

(MENAFN- AsiaNet News)

A terrifying brush with danger has prompted a Mumbai commuter to abandon local train travel, reigniting a social media debate over overcrowding, passenger safety and the daily ordeal faced by lakhs of commuters in the city.

Tejas Joshi shared his experience on X, recounting how a frightening incident while boarding a packed local train forced him to rethink his daily commute. For two years, Joshi travelled from Badlapur to Nariman Point, taking a local train to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) before completing the remaining journey by taxi. Before that, he had spent three years commuting between Badlapur and Andheri.

However, his routine took a dramatic turn when he slipped while attempting to board a crowded CSMT-bound train at Badlapur during peak hours. He narrowly escaped falling into the gap between the platform and the tracks.

For two years, I travelled from Badlapur to Nariman Point by local train to CSMT, followed by a taxi. Before that, I spent three years commuting from Badlapur to Andheri.

Then, one day, during peak hours, while boarding a CSMT-bound local at Badlapur, I slipped on the platform and narrowly escaped falling into the gap between the platform and the tracks.

I survived that day. But something changed.

That was the end of my daily commute by local trains. I told myself, never again.

I chose to pay nearly six times the rent to live in Vikhroli, closer to work, so I could commute by bike or cab instead.

Of course, my expenses shot up. But I gained something I had begun to take for granted: peace of mind. I could finally sleep without nightmares of falling off a packed local train.

I know this comes from a place of privilege. Millions of Mumbaikars living in the distant suburbs have little choice but to depend on local trains. Not everyone can afford to move closer to work or pay for an alternative commute.

But if you can afford to make that choice and are still putting it off, please reconsider.

Mumbai's local trains are the city's lifeline. But for those of us forced to travel in dangerously overcrowded conditions, they can also become a death trap.

No commute should come at the cost of your life.

If you have a way out, take it.

- Tejas Joshi (@tej_as_f) October 27, 2026

Although, physically unharmed, the near-miss left him deeply shaken, forcing him to confront the risks associated with his daily journey.

The incident ultimately pushed Joshi to give up Mumbai's local trains altogether and relocate to Vikhroli, where he now pays nearly six times his previous rent to live closer to his workplace.

Despite the steep increase in living expenses, Joshi said the move has given him peace of mind. He also revealed that relocating helped him put an end to recurring nightmares about falling from overcrowded trains.

Recognising that moving closer to work is financially out of reach for many commuters, Joshi urged those who can afford to make the change to put their safety first.

Joshi concluded: "No commute should come at the cost of your life."

His post went viral and several social media users shared their own distressing experiences and reflected on the physical and emotional toll of travelling in Mumbai's packed suburban trains.

A user wrote, "I take the train from Vikhroli so I can avoid the crowding at Thane station. My kurta tore. There was no dignity left."

Another commuter recalled travelling from Dombivli to Nariman Point for five years in the early 1990s, saying the gruelling journey motivated him to work harder and eventually succeed.

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