0:00:03 > 0:00:05This week, we are plunging you into the chaotic
0:00:05 > 0:00:09and exhilarating heart of the world's busiest railway.
0:00:11 > 0:00:15Eight million passengers use these trains each day,
0:00:15 > 0:00:20packed in more tightly than anywhere else on the planet.
0:00:20 > 0:00:22Welcome to Mumbai.
0:00:22 > 0:00:26Behind us is CST, the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus -
0:00:26 > 0:00:28Mumbai's most important railway station
0:00:28 > 0:00:30and the heart of the suburban train network,
0:00:30 > 0:00:32carrying commuters to and from work.
0:00:32 > 0:00:35But it's a system under enormous pressure.
0:00:35 > 0:00:37The Mumbai suburban rail network
0:00:37 > 0:00:40carries eight million passengers a day.
0:00:40 > 0:00:41And on these lines alone,
0:00:41 > 0:00:44they're expecting a 50% increase over the next six years.
0:00:44 > 0:00:46So you've got to ask,
0:00:46 > 0:00:50how will this super-stressed transport hub cope with the demand?
0:00:50 > 0:00:53That's what we'll be finding out tonight. Here's what's coming up.
0:00:55 > 0:00:59We've already witnessed a daily reality of commuting here in Mumbai
0:00:59 > 0:01:03and discovered how this station links the city to the rest of India.
0:01:05 > 0:01:09In this final show, it's all about the future.
0:01:09 > 0:01:12I go on a train that could revolutionise the travel
0:01:12 > 0:01:14experience here in Mumbai.
0:01:16 > 0:01:20Ah, air-conditioned, spacious. Might even take a seat.
0:01:23 > 0:01:26We reveal how the railways cope with extraordinary challenges
0:01:26 > 0:01:29like the annual monsoon floods.
0:01:30 > 0:01:34I meet one of the heroes of the 2008 terror attacks.
0:01:42 > 0:01:46And we examine the efforts being made to change passenger behaviour
0:01:46 > 0:01:48and keep people off the tracks.
0:01:48 > 0:01:52It might look funny, it might look rather grotesque,
0:01:52 > 0:01:54but it does the job.
0:01:56 > 0:01:59Welcome to the world's busiest railway.
0:02:20 > 0:02:23More than 17 million people live in Mumbai,
0:02:23 > 0:02:26and every day that figure is going up,
0:02:26 > 0:02:29as economic migrants are leaving rural India to seek their fortunes.
0:02:29 > 0:02:31It really is the city of dreams.
0:02:31 > 0:02:34Well, it might be. The trouble is, more people is more problems,
0:02:34 > 0:02:35certainly for this railway.
0:02:35 > 0:02:38How can a railway adapt to meet that increased demand?
0:02:38 > 0:02:41The trouble is it's basically running at capacity already.
0:02:41 > 0:02:43It's hard to see where the extra passenger seats will come from.
0:02:43 > 0:02:46We have to remember that these train lines were
0:02:46 > 0:02:47put in over 100 years ago.
0:02:47 > 0:02:50That station was built in 1887, and you might say,
0:02:50 > 0:02:52"Why don't we just stick in another couple of tracks?"
0:02:52 > 0:02:54but there simply isn't the space.
0:02:54 > 0:02:55And don't forget safety.
0:02:55 > 0:02:59There are already big question marks about safety on the Indian railway.
0:02:59 > 0:03:01By adding a lot more capacity to it,
0:03:01 > 0:03:03is it going to be safety that's compromised?
0:03:03 > 0:03:05Well, it's the thing on everybody's minds.
0:03:05 > 0:03:08You talk to anyone about the railways here and they'll say,
0:03:08 > 0:03:11"Ooh, people hanging out of trains, people crossing the tracks."
0:03:11 > 0:03:12So you've got to ask,
0:03:12 > 0:03:15what are the railways up against trying to keep their passengers safe?
0:03:20 > 0:03:24The risks of travelling on this network are all too obvious.
0:03:24 > 0:03:28Overcrowding, open doors and track crossing
0:03:28 > 0:03:31create a health and safety nightmare.
0:03:31 > 0:03:34Standing on a platform in morning rush hour,
0:03:34 > 0:03:38I'm astonished that regular commuters seem oblivious to the perils.
0:03:38 > 0:03:40They just don't seem to care.
0:03:40 > 0:03:43I've never seen anything like it.
0:03:44 > 0:03:47I'm worried for your safety, I'm worried for your safety.
0:03:49 > 0:03:53I want to find out from Central Railways' chief safety officer,
0:03:53 > 0:03:57Rahul Jain, if it's as dangerous as it looks.
0:03:57 > 0:03:58How many deaths do you have a day?
0:03:58 > 0:04:02- It's about five to six deaths/injuries a day.- Five or six?
0:04:02 > 0:04:03Five to six a day.
0:04:03 > 0:04:07'Fatalities across the whole of Mumbai's suburban lines
0:04:07 > 0:04:10'come to more than 3,000 a year.
0:04:10 > 0:04:14'Over the same period, the London Underground reports fewer than 30.
0:04:14 > 0:04:18'Track crossing is responsible for more than 50% of casualties.'
0:04:18 > 0:04:20Tell me what the problems are.
0:04:20 > 0:04:23What are the most dangerous things that people are doing?
0:04:23 > 0:04:25There are people crossing the track right now.
0:04:25 > 0:04:27TRAIN HOOTS
0:04:27 > 0:04:32The trains are running at a speed of 40 to 50 kilometres an hour
0:04:32 > 0:04:36and a person who's crossing the track just does not have the
0:04:36 > 0:04:38kind of perception that it's coming in that fast,
0:04:38 > 0:04:41so people do tend to get hit or run over by trains.
0:04:43 > 0:04:45'It's trespassing and against the law,
0:04:45 > 0:04:48'but it's so widespread it seems difficult to police.'
0:04:50 > 0:04:51You have got a footbridge here.
0:04:51 > 0:04:54We're standing on a footbridge and yet you've got people,
0:04:54 > 0:04:55old and young...
0:04:55 > 0:04:58Look at that old woman just walking along the railway.
0:04:58 > 0:04:59So why aren't people using them?
0:04:59 > 0:05:01Probably because they see the train coming
0:05:01 > 0:05:06and they are in a hurry to catch the train and take a chance.
0:05:06 > 0:05:08That is just...
0:05:08 > 0:05:10I've never seen anything like it, apart from in India.
0:05:10 > 0:05:12You have to see it to believe it.
0:05:12 > 0:05:14You have to see it to believe it, you're absolutely right,
0:05:14 > 0:05:17and also, when a train comes in, people jumping onto the train
0:05:17 > 0:05:20whilst it's still moving, the doors are wide open.
0:05:20 > 0:05:22That's a basic thing. It's not unique to India, I suppose.
0:05:22 > 0:05:24It's a basic human psychological...
0:05:24 > 0:05:27You see a bus, you'd rather catch it than wait for the next one
0:05:27 > 0:05:29in ten minutes.
0:05:29 > 0:05:34'One way the rail authorities are addressing this risk-taking behaviour
0:05:34 > 0:05:36'is with shock tactics.'
0:05:36 > 0:05:40We've used a picture of a man in the process of being run over by a train
0:05:40 > 0:05:42and this has worked.
0:05:42 > 0:05:45People, when they're tempted to cross,
0:05:45 > 0:05:50if they see that poster, I would say seven out of ten pause,
0:05:50 > 0:05:54evaluate what they're doing and probably use the foot over bridge.
0:05:54 > 0:05:57It might look funny, it might look rather grotesque,
0:05:57 > 0:06:00- but it does the job.- The shock is working?- The shock is working.
0:06:00 > 0:06:02It's very dramatic.
0:06:02 > 0:06:04TRAIN HOOTS
0:06:04 > 0:06:06'This poster is featured across the network
0:06:06 > 0:06:09'and, together with more footbridges over the tracks,
0:06:09 > 0:06:14'it's reduced fatalities from 190 a month to 140.
0:06:14 > 0:06:17'But it's clear there's a long way to go
0:06:17 > 0:06:20'to change the behaviour of Mumbai's commuters.'
0:06:21 > 0:06:23Are you satisfied with the safety as it is?
0:06:23 > 0:06:25No, ma'am, I definitely am not.
0:06:25 > 0:06:28Till you keep on having casualties, I would never be satisfied,
0:06:28 > 0:06:31but I am satisfied with the direction that we have taken.
0:06:31 > 0:06:34If I come back in five years' time, which I probably will,
0:06:34 > 0:06:37will I still see people crossing the railway tracks like this?
0:06:37 > 0:06:40Er, I wouldn't be able to guarantee that you won't see anybody.
0:06:40 > 0:06:43The numbers will be far, far less, that much I can assure you.
0:06:47 > 0:06:51But while Mr Jain is trying to keep passengers off the lines,
0:06:51 > 0:06:55one group of safety workers have to risk their lives on them.
0:06:58 > 0:07:02Every Sunday morning, teams spread out across the network
0:07:02 > 0:07:06to inspect, repair and replace the tracks.
0:07:09 > 0:07:12Supervisor Arpee Singh shows me
0:07:12 > 0:07:14what his teams are up against on these busy routes.
0:07:16 > 0:07:19So you've got this track in the middle that's having
0:07:19 > 0:07:22the sleepers changed, but the track on that side, cos there's a
0:07:22 > 0:07:26train there now, and this track that we're walking on, are still live?
0:07:26 > 0:07:28Yes, it's clearly dangerous,
0:07:28 > 0:07:32so we put speed restrictions on the existing tracks.
0:07:33 > 0:07:35'Despite safety precautions,
0:07:35 > 0:07:39'more than 20 rail workers are killed every year.'
0:07:39 > 0:07:41The whistle's blowing. There's a green flag flying.
0:07:41 > 0:07:44- That means a train is coming. - We need to get off.
0:07:44 > 0:07:45I'll stand on this side.
0:07:45 > 0:07:47TRAIN HOOTS
0:07:47 > 0:07:5130 seconds ago we were standing right there. Yes, Mr Singh.
0:07:55 > 0:07:58Let's be safe.
0:07:58 > 0:08:00- Whoa!- Yeah.- Yes.
0:08:02 > 0:08:06I've never been that close to a train before. That was quite incredible.
0:08:06 > 0:08:08Terrifying.
0:08:13 > 0:08:16- We keep on working, keep on working.- Yeah.
0:08:19 > 0:08:23The sleepers, stone ballast and rails must all be renewed to ensure
0:08:23 > 0:08:26the safety of the trains running on them.
0:08:29 > 0:08:33The tiniest crack or flex in a track could cause a derailment.
0:08:34 > 0:08:37Until recently, this work was done by hand,
0:08:37 > 0:08:40but this track-laying machine works ten times faster
0:08:40 > 0:08:42than muscle power alone.
0:08:43 > 0:08:45SPEAKS PUNJABI
0:08:45 > 0:08:46I think she thinks I'm mad.
0:08:46 > 0:08:50'These workers are putting down rubber mats to stop the tracks
0:08:50 > 0:08:52'bouncing on the sleepers.'
0:08:54 > 0:08:55THEY CONVERSE
0:08:55 > 0:08:58Rajasthan, right.
0:09:01 > 0:09:04Her husband, her son, her daughter, they all work here.
0:09:04 > 0:09:08She's called Pavni and she's 35 and she gets paid 250 rupees a day,
0:09:08 > 0:09:12which is about £2.50, but there is equality.
0:09:12 > 0:09:15The men and the women get paid the same.
0:09:17 > 0:09:20We're on the move now.
0:09:21 > 0:09:24It's going faster than I thought it would.
0:09:25 > 0:09:28It's actually moving at quite a pace.
0:09:30 > 0:09:35It's quite a weird sensation. I am being carried... Oh, God!
0:09:35 > 0:09:38Oh, no, I forgot one! Quick!
0:09:38 > 0:09:40I'm too busy talking. I missed it.
0:09:40 > 0:09:43OK, all right, I've got backup.
0:09:43 > 0:09:46Right, I can't be distracted. I've got a job to do.
0:09:46 > 0:09:49TRAIN HOOTS
0:09:55 > 0:10:01For a minute I forgot I was in the middle of two live railway lines.
0:10:01 > 0:10:04It's essential to maintain the infrastructure of these lines,
0:10:04 > 0:10:06not just here in Mumbai,
0:10:06 > 0:10:09but across all 65,000 kilometres of railway in India.
0:10:11 > 0:10:15Without the rail network, the country would grind to a halt.
0:10:17 > 0:10:21This is dangerous, hard, physical work.
0:10:23 > 0:10:28These men and women are risking their lives to ensure the safety of others.
0:10:30 > 0:10:33TRAIN HOOTS
0:10:43 > 0:10:46Constant reliable services are the name of the game here at CST.
0:10:48 > 0:10:52Commuters rely on these trains to get to and from work.
0:10:52 > 0:10:55At peak times, like now, first thing in the morning,
0:10:55 > 0:10:5950,000 passengers flood through the station every hour,
0:10:59 > 0:11:03and the team making sure they get to their offices on time
0:11:03 > 0:11:06is perched in a tower high above the station.
0:11:06 > 0:11:09This is the control room, and these controllers
0:11:09 > 0:11:12and the technology in this room is responsible for getting all
0:11:12 > 0:11:14the trains in and out of the station.
0:11:14 > 0:11:17Now, it's currently just gone 9.30 in the morning, which is
0:11:17 > 0:11:20one of the busiest periods of the day, the morning rush hour,
0:11:20 > 0:11:23and there are currently over 80 trains in the system going in
0:11:23 > 0:11:25and out of the station,
0:11:25 > 0:11:28and you can see that clearly marked up here on this enormous board.
0:11:28 > 0:11:31Now, each of these red lines you see up on the board here
0:11:31 > 0:11:34represents a train, and the green lines that go in front of them,
0:11:34 > 0:11:37that represents the route that is planned for them.
0:11:37 > 0:11:40There's currently one, two, three, four,
0:11:40 > 0:11:42five trains in the suburban platforms.
0:11:42 > 0:11:45I can see that that one coming out of platform four,
0:11:45 > 0:11:47that's heading on its way out of the station.
0:11:47 > 0:11:50It's got a route planned for it ahead of it
0:11:50 > 0:11:52and there's another train on the same line about two miles
0:11:52 > 0:11:56out of the station, so they're really tightly packed in.
0:11:56 > 0:11:58This system is automated,
0:11:58 > 0:12:01but the controllers are here in case anything goes wrong,
0:12:01 > 0:12:03which, of course, at this time of day they're really hoping
0:12:03 > 0:12:05it doesn't, because it is very busy.
0:12:05 > 0:12:08But also it's important to remember that each of those red lines
0:12:08 > 0:12:10doesn't just represent a train.
0:12:10 > 0:12:14It also represents thousands of people trying to get to work.
0:12:14 > 0:12:18More than half of Mumbai's commuters travel by train each day,
0:12:18 > 0:12:22with 5.5 million of them buying season tickets.
0:12:22 > 0:12:27The average journey to work is 45 minutes and costs less than 20p.
0:12:27 > 0:12:31We all tried the experience of travelling in these rush hour trains
0:12:31 > 0:12:34for ourselves and were shocked at quite how tough it is.
0:12:36 > 0:12:39But how do you cope when this is your daily reality?
0:12:39 > 0:12:42Here's what it's like for one commuter.
0:12:47 > 0:12:50I am Rita Bhat,
0:12:50 > 0:12:54an architect born and brought up in Bombay.
0:12:54 > 0:12:59Studied in Bombay, worked in Bombay and now old age in Bombay too.
0:13:05 > 0:13:10I live with eight members of my family, two brothers,
0:13:10 > 0:13:15my two sister-in-laws and kids and my mom in a two-bedroomed flat.
0:13:16 > 0:13:19- All the best for your exams. Bye.- Bye.
0:13:21 > 0:13:26Once I bid goodbye to my house, then it's a long walk to the station.
0:13:29 > 0:13:34- ANNOUNCER:- '..expected on platform number two, the 9.30.'
0:13:34 > 0:13:38The next train is at 9.30, so another four minutes to wait.
0:13:40 > 0:13:43I don't like the rush hour trains at all.
0:13:43 > 0:13:47I always prefer to take the trains after the rush hours.
0:13:55 > 0:13:58Everybody seems to be competing with each other.
0:13:58 > 0:14:04Already their saris are tucked up, their purses tight
0:14:04 > 0:14:07and all ready to jump into the train.
0:14:09 > 0:14:12Me, too, is part of that.
0:14:16 > 0:14:19And when the fat ladies try to get inside, they'll be like pushing
0:14:19 > 0:14:23somebody or the other and there will be a fight in the train.
0:14:25 > 0:14:29Half of the time I'm standing and half of the time I get seats.
0:14:34 > 0:14:40I've been travelling for more than 30 years by this local train.
0:14:40 > 0:14:45Earlier it used to be a lot of noisy and a lot of chatting.
0:14:45 > 0:14:49These days everybody has earphones plugged in
0:14:49 > 0:14:51and they're all into music
0:14:51 > 0:14:55and the phones or the tabs, they're all busy with those kinds of things.
0:14:57 > 0:15:01And now the new generation is all in trousers, you know.
0:15:01 > 0:15:06All the latest dresses. Saris you see very less in the trains.
0:15:06 > 0:15:10People find it a little difficult to travel in the trains with saris.
0:15:23 > 0:15:26The railways are my best friends in Mumbai.
0:15:26 > 0:15:29They are really my best friends...
0:15:31 > 0:15:35..because I feel really it's like a small 45-minute home for me,
0:15:35 > 0:15:41as if I'm in a theatre or somewhere, watching everything happening.
0:15:51 > 0:15:55When I get out of the train, I literally feel like I'm out of a hive
0:15:55 > 0:16:00and we are all bees - zzzz, get out of the train!
0:16:00 > 0:16:04Everybody's in a hurry. A fast running speed out of the station.
0:16:06 > 0:16:10Railways are the lifeline of Mumbai.
0:16:10 > 0:16:14Bombay is whatever it is because of its beautiful railway lines.
0:16:17 > 0:16:20We saw Rita get on a ladies-only carriage there,
0:16:20 > 0:16:24which is unusual for us, but perfectly normal here.
0:16:24 > 0:16:26They were introduced just over 20 years ago when the Indian
0:16:26 > 0:16:30economy opened up and they were a response to the changing society.
0:16:30 > 0:16:31More and more women were going out to work
0:16:31 > 0:16:35and now 25% of commuters in Mumbai are women.
0:16:35 > 0:16:38One of whom is Marisha, who works in digital media.
0:16:38 > 0:16:40Marisha, tell me about your commute. Where do you travel in from?
0:16:40 > 0:16:43So I live in Badlapur,
0:16:43 > 0:16:46that's a satellite township outside of Bombay.
0:16:46 > 0:16:49So it's about an hour-and-a-half from door to door
0:16:49 > 0:16:50and 60 minutes on the train.
0:16:50 > 0:16:53I've tried getting on one of these trains. It took me a few attempts.
0:16:53 > 0:16:55It's really tough.
0:16:55 > 0:16:58What tactics do you employ if you're doing this on a daily basis?
0:16:58 > 0:17:00Yeah, it's tough on a daily basis,
0:17:00 > 0:17:04so I generally have these markers on platforms,
0:17:04 > 0:17:08so I'll remember the fan or a board or hoarding and I try
0:17:08 > 0:17:10and be on the left side and kind of close when the train comes.
0:17:10 > 0:17:14I know it's not safe but that's what we have to do to get in first.
0:17:14 > 0:17:18- Are you one of these headphones in, head down...- No, absolutely not.
0:17:18 > 0:17:20I would tell all my friends, other girls who do it,
0:17:20 > 0:17:22because it's just not safe in a crowded...
0:17:22 > 0:17:24Nobody's looking out for you.
0:17:24 > 0:17:25You're going to get your head yanked,
0:17:25 > 0:17:28or your hair pulled or your bag pulled, so that's a no-no.
0:17:28 > 0:17:31- That violent?- Absolutely. Everybody just wants to get on to the train,
0:17:31 > 0:17:33which is going to leave in the next 30 seconds, so, yeah.
0:17:33 > 0:17:35So, once you're on this train, how do you get a seat?
0:17:35 > 0:17:38OK, so if you're travelling long distance, you really want to sit,
0:17:38 > 0:17:41so you just go round asking people, "Where are you getting off?"
0:17:41 > 0:17:44And if they're getting off somewhere close by, next station or two
0:17:44 > 0:17:46stations later, you just say, "OK, I'm sitting next."
0:17:46 > 0:17:50- You're booking a seat.- Why do you travel in a ladies-only compartment?
0:17:50 > 0:17:54That's the safest and that's the most comfortable way of travelling
0:17:54 > 0:17:55because, during peak hours,
0:17:55 > 0:17:58there are just too many people in that compartment,
0:17:58 > 0:18:02so it's very uncomfortable being stuck head-to-toe with a guy.
0:18:02 > 0:18:05Just a purely physically uncomfortable experience.
0:18:05 > 0:18:08Is it socially unacceptable to be that close?
0:18:08 > 0:18:10Absolutely, and you wouldn't want to be.
0:18:10 > 0:18:12You wouldn't want to be that close to a stranger. Why would you?
0:18:12 > 0:18:14Even with a woman it's kind of uncomfortable
0:18:14 > 0:18:16but you somehow manage.
0:18:16 > 0:18:19- But with a guy definitely not, and they stink.- And they stink!
0:18:19 > 0:18:23- Yes, more deodorant. You said that, not me.- Absolutely.
0:18:23 > 0:18:25Now, you mentioned safety there. Safety is a concern here.
0:18:25 > 0:18:28There are posters, I've seen them around the station telling women -
0:18:28 > 0:18:31"It's not a compliment. You're giving me the creeps.
0:18:31 > 0:18:33"Don't stay silent." Have you ever been harassed or,
0:18:33 > 0:18:37as you euphemistically call it here, Eve-teasing?
0:18:37 > 0:18:40Um, yeah, there have been the odd brushes,
0:18:40 > 0:18:44where you get off a train onto a crowded platform, you have the
0:18:44 > 0:18:49brush against your thigh or somebody tries and cups you from behind.
0:18:49 > 0:18:52A few of my friends have had that experience too.
0:18:52 > 0:18:57I mean, it's kind of part of my experience of commuting
0:18:57 > 0:18:58for the last five years.
0:18:58 > 0:19:01And why are we hearing so much about it now?
0:19:01 > 0:19:04Obviously because people like me, who were born in the 21st century,
0:19:04 > 0:19:07I feel I'm better than most guys out there because I'm educated.
0:19:07 > 0:19:09Yeah, and I'm earning more than them,
0:19:09 > 0:19:11so I don't think you have the right to do that.
0:19:11 > 0:19:13I don't have the right to go and touch a guy,
0:19:13 > 0:19:16so why do you think you are entitled to do that?
0:19:16 > 0:19:18What would improve your commute?
0:19:18 > 0:19:21More trains. More trains on these tracks, absolutely.
0:19:21 > 0:19:23Too many people, too few trains on these tracks.
0:19:23 > 0:19:26- Marisha, thank you very much. - Thank you.
0:19:26 > 0:19:30Now, more than 600,000 people like Marisha use this station every
0:19:30 > 0:19:33single day and it's because of the crucial part it plays in the
0:19:33 > 0:19:38lives of Mumbaikars that it was the target of a terrorist attack in 2008.
0:19:43 > 0:19:44Good evening.
0:19:44 > 0:19:48There's been a major terrorist attack in the Indian city of Mumbai.
0:19:48 > 0:19:50As many as 80 people have been killed after
0:19:50 > 0:19:54teams of heavily armed gunmen stormed different locations,
0:19:54 > 0:19:57including two luxury hotels and the main railway station.
0:20:00 > 0:20:04It was around 9.30 when two men from a Pakistani terror group
0:20:04 > 0:20:06arrived at the station.
0:20:06 > 0:20:10Local tea-seller Mohammed Tofiq Shikh got caught up
0:20:10 > 0:20:12in what happened next.
0:20:27 > 0:20:31'Station announcer Mr Chendi was coming towards the end of his shift
0:20:31 > 0:20:32'in the control room.'
0:20:32 > 0:20:34When did you first know that something was going on,
0:20:34 > 0:20:36an attack was under way?
0:20:46 > 0:20:49And did you see out these windows all the things happening?
0:21:20 > 0:21:23Mr Chendi carried on making urgent announcements,
0:21:23 > 0:21:26directing passengers away from the gunmen
0:21:26 > 0:21:29who were now heading towards Mohammed.
0:21:41 > 0:21:44Mohammed ducked into the ticket office and locked the door,
0:21:44 > 0:21:47telling the staff to take cover.
0:22:08 > 0:22:12Mr Chendi also came face-to-face with the attackers.
0:22:52 > 0:22:55But, as suddenly as they had arrived,
0:22:55 > 0:22:58the gunmen turned and walked away.
0:22:59 > 0:23:03They left a scene of devastation behind them.
0:23:45 > 0:23:49The killing spree had lasted an hour-and-a-half.
0:23:49 > 0:23:53It left 52 people dead and more than 100 others seriously wounded.
0:23:53 > 0:23:57A combination of passengers and railway staff.
0:24:00 > 0:24:03The scars of those events in 2008
0:24:03 > 0:24:05are still visible around the station,
0:24:05 > 0:24:09but Mumbaikars like Mr Chendi take a philosophical view.
0:24:44 > 0:24:47This is the memorial to all those who were killed
0:24:47 > 0:24:49on that terrible day.
0:24:49 > 0:24:51It was built in 2009.
0:24:51 > 0:24:55It's got the names of those who died inscribed along the front
0:24:55 > 0:24:56and it's always spotless.
0:24:56 > 0:24:58It's always perfectly maintained.
0:24:58 > 0:25:00It sits here in the heart of the station,
0:25:00 > 0:25:03right in the middle of the concourse and, actually, right in the middle
0:25:03 > 0:25:06of where some of the worst killing actually took place that day.
0:25:06 > 0:25:09It's a permanent reminder of what went on here.
0:25:09 > 0:25:12A permanent reminder of those who lost their lives
0:25:12 > 0:25:15and the suffering of this station and this city as a whole.
0:25:15 > 0:25:17It's not the only reminder here.
0:25:17 > 0:25:20There are now X-ray machines and metal detectors at every
0:25:20 > 0:25:24entrance and exit, and there's a heavy police presence.
0:25:24 > 0:25:28Heavily-armed officers patrol this station 24 hours a day.
0:25:28 > 0:25:32But what's amazing about Mumbai, very much like London after 7/7,
0:25:32 > 0:25:35is that the day following those terrible attacks,
0:25:35 > 0:25:38trains were running normally in and out of this station.
0:25:38 > 0:25:41There was an absolute determination not to let the terrorists win,
0:25:41 > 0:25:44to get back on their feet and keep things going as normal.
0:25:44 > 0:25:47A determination not to be beaten.
0:25:47 > 0:25:49And, actually,
0:25:49 > 0:25:52that determination is reflected in the history of Indian railways.
0:25:52 > 0:25:54When engineers and builders first arrived here,
0:25:54 > 0:25:59they were faced with overwhelming challenges in this vast land,
0:25:59 > 0:26:03and John Sergeant has been to see a stretch of track that, at
0:26:03 > 0:26:07the time it was built, was nothing less than an engineering miracle.
0:26:10 > 0:26:1660 kilometres east of Mumbai is one of India's greatest mountain ranges,
0:26:16 > 0:26:19the Western Ghats.
0:26:19 > 0:26:23They form a natural barrier between Mumbai
0:26:23 > 0:26:26and the south and east of India.
0:26:26 > 0:26:29Victorian railway engineers had to find a route through
0:26:29 > 0:26:34the mountains in order to connect Mumbai to the rest of the country.
0:26:34 > 0:26:38A 21-kilometre section called the Bhorghat Pass
0:26:38 > 0:26:41was the hardest challenge.
0:26:41 > 0:26:42This was the most difficult,
0:26:42 > 0:26:47the most complicated railway project in the whole of India.
0:26:47 > 0:26:50To keep the overall length and the number of tunnels down to
0:26:50 > 0:26:54a minimum, the tracks had to be as steep as possible.
0:26:54 > 0:26:58The most severe gradient was about 1 in 40.
0:26:58 > 0:27:01You go along 40 metres and up a metre,
0:27:01 > 0:27:05and if you got it wrong, the steam engines would simply slide backwards.
0:27:08 > 0:27:13Even today, parts of the line are so steep that additional engines
0:27:13 > 0:27:17called bankers have to be attached to each train.
0:27:17 > 0:27:20These help to push them up the hill.
0:27:26 > 0:27:29'I'm hitching a ride on one of these banker engines
0:27:29 > 0:27:32'with driver Jayant Ramadasi.'
0:27:32 > 0:27:35So why do we need these extra engines?
0:27:42 > 0:27:45Right, so the couplings would break?
0:27:45 > 0:27:46The couplings would break naturally.
0:27:46 > 0:27:49- So the train would start going backwards?- Exactly.- Yeah.
0:27:50 > 0:27:52Hello.
0:28:02 > 0:28:04And there are the mountains here, aren't they?
0:28:04 > 0:28:06Yeah, this is Bhore Ghat.
0:28:06 > 0:28:10- And Bhore Ghat is the way through the mountains, isn't it?- Yeah.
0:28:12 > 0:28:16It may not look steep but, for trains,
0:28:16 > 0:28:18these gradients are hard work.
0:28:22 > 0:28:25TRAIN HOOTS
0:28:25 > 0:28:27That's good.
0:28:27 > 0:28:28Actually, we are supposed to press the horn
0:28:28 > 0:28:31- while entering every tunnel... - Oh, right.
0:28:31 > 0:28:34..to warn the staff working there that some train is approaching.
0:28:34 > 0:28:37- OK, well, if you tell me, I'll press the horn...- Sure.
0:28:37 > 0:28:40- ..all right, when we go through the next tunnel.- Yeah.
0:28:40 > 0:28:43HORN HOOTS
0:28:45 > 0:28:50Work on this section of line began in 1856.
0:28:50 > 0:28:55At one point, 42,000 workers were employed here.
0:28:55 > 0:28:59In less than ten years, they built eight huge viaducts,
0:28:59 > 0:29:04dozens of massive embankments and 25 tunnels.
0:29:04 > 0:29:07They hacked out the rocks with picks and shovels.
0:29:08 > 0:29:11HORN HOOTS
0:29:11 > 0:29:16It cost in today's money more than £100 million,
0:29:16 > 0:29:20but the cost in human terms was far more than that.
0:29:22 > 0:29:27More than 25,000 construction workers died here.
0:29:27 > 0:29:31That's more than 1,000 for every kilometre of track.
0:29:31 > 0:29:35The loss of life in the building of this engineering marvel obviously
0:29:35 > 0:29:38nowadays would be completely unacceptable,
0:29:38 > 0:29:43but in those days it was argued the human cost would be balanced
0:29:43 > 0:29:46by the enormous practical gain.
0:29:46 > 0:29:47Now, in our day,
0:29:47 > 0:29:51the very least we can do is to celebrate their achievement.
0:29:51 > 0:29:53HORN HOOTS
0:29:53 > 0:29:56And this was a great engineering achievement,
0:29:56 > 0:30:00an astonishing example of determination and skill.
0:30:02 > 0:30:06This drawing shows where the original tracks used to run.
0:30:06 > 0:30:08It's a reversing station,
0:30:08 > 0:30:13an elegant way to get trains round a hairpin bend.
0:30:13 > 0:30:18A rail historian, Apurva Bahadur, explains how it worked.
0:30:18 > 0:30:21This is how it came up from the bottom of the Ghats.
0:30:21 > 0:30:27It came up here. This is the old route and it reached here.
0:30:27 > 0:30:31- There was a big problem. - What was that?
0:30:31 > 0:30:34The big problem was that this curvature,
0:30:34 > 0:30:38it now goes in this direction, is too sharp to follow.
0:30:38 > 0:30:39So it couldn't go round here?
0:30:39 > 0:30:44It couldn't go round here so they built a yard down there,
0:30:44 > 0:30:49and the train would go here and it would reverse and go along that way
0:30:49 > 0:30:51on the other side of the mountain to Khandala.
0:30:52 > 0:30:54The train entered the yard on the lower line
0:30:54 > 0:30:59and then reversed up the upper line, manoeuvring round the corner.
0:31:03 > 0:31:06Today, with new tunnels and electric trains,
0:31:06 > 0:31:09they don't need a reversing station.
0:31:12 > 0:31:16But it's not just getting trains up the incline that's difficult.
0:31:16 > 0:31:20Getting trains down safely also isn't easy.
0:31:20 > 0:31:24Brake failure could result in a runaway train,
0:31:24 > 0:31:27and this safety route, called a catch siding,
0:31:27 > 0:31:30has always been a crucial part of the line.
0:31:32 > 0:31:35So tell me about this catch siding. How did it work?
0:31:35 > 0:31:39So you could imagine the emergency could be for brake failure,
0:31:39 > 0:31:43and a train is gathering speed, so it'll come faster and faster
0:31:43 > 0:31:48down these tracks, and the gradient will arrest any further movement.
0:31:48 > 0:31:52It's an incredible hill, though, isn't it? Why is it needed?
0:31:52 > 0:31:55They need that gradient to break the momentum and come to a stop.
0:31:55 > 0:31:58But if it didn't have this catch siding?
0:31:58 > 0:32:01If you don't have this then it would go onto the main tracks
0:32:01 > 0:32:03at a fast speed, possibly derailed.
0:32:03 > 0:32:06A lot of people would be killed.
0:32:06 > 0:32:08But how often has it been used?
0:32:08 > 0:32:14Almost never. Maybe once or twice in its entire history of 165 years...
0:32:14 > 0:32:18- Really?- ..and the tracks are busy 24 hours a day.
0:32:20 > 0:32:24This line is a crucial one in the history of Indian railways.
0:32:29 > 0:32:3130 years after it opened,
0:32:31 > 0:32:37the network was carrying 500 million passengers
0:32:37 > 0:32:40and millions of tonnes of freight.
0:32:40 > 0:32:43It helped India, and particularly Mumbai,
0:32:43 > 0:32:47to become the industrial powerhouse it is today.
0:32:54 > 0:32:57And that route along the Western Ghats is still essential to
0:32:57 > 0:33:01this day, as it links Mumbai to the south and the east of the country and
0:33:01 > 0:33:07this train coming in right now, the 12124 from Pune, has used that route.
0:33:07 > 0:33:09It's a very special train.
0:33:09 > 0:33:15It has a very special place in the hearts of people of this city and all
0:33:15 > 0:33:18train fans, and they affectionately call it the Deccan Queen.
0:33:18 > 0:33:21One of those train fans is Ashish Kobilka.
0:33:21 > 0:33:23Why is the Deccan Queen so special?
0:33:23 > 0:33:27It is the most-loved train of Indian railways.
0:33:27 > 0:33:31So much so that, every year, those who travel regularly, they celebrate
0:33:31 > 0:33:35its birthday with fun and pomp, and they cut a cake
0:33:35 > 0:33:38and they have bands running in the background
0:33:38 > 0:33:42and it's a fun atmosphere to celebrate its birth.
0:33:42 > 0:33:45'It may look like an ordinary train, which it is,
0:33:45 > 0:33:50'but this 10.25 arrival each morning has a historical significance
0:33:50 > 0:33:52'for rail fans like Ashish.'
0:33:52 > 0:33:56This train started its operation on June 1st 1930,
0:33:56 > 0:33:58and since then it has been running.
0:33:58 > 0:34:02Earlier, it was meant to be only for Britishers
0:34:02 > 0:34:03and it would run on weekends.
0:34:03 > 0:34:06In 1943, Indians were allowed
0:34:06 > 0:34:10and that's where the number of commuters started increasing.
0:34:10 > 0:34:13There were so many commuters getting on it from Pune
0:34:13 > 0:34:15that they actually gave it a special name, didn't they?
0:34:15 > 0:34:19Yes, earlier it was called the Husband Special because the men
0:34:19 > 0:34:23would travel to work to Mumbai and then go back to Pune by this train.
0:34:23 > 0:34:25And it's not just husbands now.
0:34:25 > 0:34:29- There are plenty of wives and single people that use this train...- Yes.
0:34:29 > 0:34:32..because society changed and the technology changed. What happened?
0:34:32 > 0:34:36Yeah, when the technology changed, earlier the trains used to be run by
0:34:36 > 0:34:43steam and they would take about six hours to come from Pune to Mumbai.
0:34:43 > 0:34:47Now it is run by electric trains, electric engines,
0:34:47 > 0:34:51and, as a result, the time has been cut down to only three hours.
0:34:51 > 0:34:54- Three-hour journey, so more and more people use the train?- Yes.
0:34:54 > 0:34:56Do they still use it to commute?
0:34:56 > 0:35:00Yes, there are businessmen who travel every day morning
0:35:00 > 0:35:04and there are office-goers who come for work to Mumbai
0:35:04 > 0:35:06and then go back to Pune.
0:35:06 > 0:35:09- And you live in Pune yourself? - Yes, I do.
0:35:09 > 0:35:11And how do you get to Mumbai?
0:35:11 > 0:35:13Every time I get a chance to travel to Mumbai,
0:35:13 > 0:35:15there's no alternative but to take the Deccan Queen.
0:35:15 > 0:35:18You genuinely love this train!
0:35:18 > 0:35:22- How excited are you that this train is right behind you?- Yeah, it's...
0:35:22 > 0:35:24I can't express in words.
0:35:24 > 0:35:26It's really great to travel by the Deccan Queen,
0:35:26 > 0:35:29every time I get the chance.
0:35:29 > 0:35:31And can anybody become a rail fan?
0:35:31 > 0:35:33No. It has to be in our blood.
0:35:33 > 0:35:37You can't convert anybody into a rail fan, rail fans are born.
0:35:37 > 0:35:40- Rail fans are born. Ashish, thank you so much.- Thank you.
0:35:42 > 0:35:45Well, of course, no train's going anywhere without a driver.
0:35:45 > 0:35:47Here, in India, it's a very prestigious job.
0:35:47 > 0:35:51Indian Railways employs 90,000 drivers.
0:35:51 > 0:35:55It's highly skilled, and requires years of intensive training.
0:35:55 > 0:35:57But to Robert, those are just details.
0:35:57 > 0:35:59Nothing was going to stop him having a go.
0:36:02 > 0:36:06I've been having an intensive series of train-driving lessons
0:36:06 > 0:36:09at the Bhusawal Railway Training Institute.
0:36:09 > 0:36:11I've got the basics of signalling.
0:36:12 > 0:36:14So, I would know if I was coming along,
0:36:14 > 0:36:15I can keep going there, it's green.
0:36:15 > 0:36:17Yellow, I've got to be careful, get ready to stop.
0:36:17 > 0:36:18Red, stop.
0:36:19 > 0:36:24'And I've successfully negotiated my first lesson in a simulator.'
0:36:24 > 0:36:27- Now, it's moving. You can see. - We're moving!
0:36:27 > 0:36:28HE CHUCKLES
0:36:28 > 0:36:31'But now, my instructor Muhammed Itsar is setting me a test
0:36:31 > 0:36:35'to see if I'm good enough to be let loose on a real locomotive.'
0:36:36 > 0:36:38'He retires to a safe distance,
0:36:38 > 0:36:41'while I try to remember everything I've been taught.'
0:36:42 > 0:36:44OK. Right, throttle on idle...
0:36:46 > 0:36:48Er... Locomotive brake on.
0:36:48 > 0:36:49Train brake off.
0:36:50 > 0:36:53'This simulator is letting me experience what it's like
0:36:53 > 0:36:58'to drive a 24-carriage diesel train with 1,500 passengers onboard.'
0:37:00 > 0:37:02- Mr Robert?- Yes.- When I will give you the signal green,
0:37:02 > 0:37:05- then you start your train, OK? - Waiting for a green signal.
0:37:05 > 0:37:07I have a green signal.
0:37:09 > 0:37:11I didn't... I didn't sound the horn.
0:37:11 > 0:37:12HORN BLARES
0:37:12 > 0:37:14- ROBERT LAUGHS - I forgot the horn!
0:37:14 > 0:37:18'Drivers have to sound their horn as they leave the station
0:37:18 > 0:37:20'to warn passengers on the platform.'
0:37:21 > 0:37:22'Failing to do this
0:37:22 > 0:37:25'means I'm already falling short of what's expected.'
0:37:25 > 0:37:26Increase the speed.
0:37:28 > 0:37:30I'm looking for my next signal light.
0:37:30 > 0:37:33Yeah, there it is, it's green. That's good.
0:37:33 > 0:37:37'As well as watching for hazards ahead, and controlling the loco,
0:37:37 > 0:37:39'I've also got dials
0:37:39 > 0:37:42'displaying brake pressure, engine power, and speed.
0:37:42 > 0:37:45'All have to be constantly monitored.'
0:37:45 > 0:37:47I think that is a level crossing coming up.
0:37:48 > 0:37:50'As if there wasn't enough to worry about,
0:37:50 > 0:37:53'Muhammed decides to introduce the odd hazard.'
0:37:54 > 0:37:56- Oh, there's a cow! Oh, my God! - HORN BLARES
0:37:56 > 0:37:57There is a cow!
0:37:58 > 0:38:01There's a cow on the line! What do I do? I can't stop.
0:38:01 > 0:38:02Go on! You could move?
0:38:03 > 0:38:06No, it's not going to move. Very distressing!
0:38:06 > 0:38:08HE LAUGHS
0:38:08 > 0:38:10What you have done, Mr Robert?
0:38:10 > 0:38:11You have killed one cow!
0:38:11 > 0:38:12I was sounding my horn.
0:38:12 > 0:38:15If it had any sense, it would have got out of the way.
0:38:15 > 0:38:17'It might be India's sacred animal,
0:38:17 > 0:38:21'but momentum means these trains can take over a kilometre to stop.'
0:38:22 > 0:38:25'By the time a train driver sees a hazard on the track,
0:38:25 > 0:38:28'it's too late to put the brakes on.'
0:38:29 > 0:38:31Now, a yellow signal is approaching.
0:38:31 > 0:38:32You have to reduce your train speed.
0:38:34 > 0:38:36'I now have to bring this huge train to a halt,
0:38:36 > 0:38:38'as we approach the station.'
0:38:38 > 0:38:41That's a yellow signal, so I really need to have the brake on now.
0:38:41 > 0:38:43We're slowing down pretty good.
0:38:43 > 0:38:47You have to stop the train on the platform.
0:38:47 > 0:38:48HIGH-PITCHED WHINE
0:38:48 > 0:38:49Aah! I've stopped the train too soon!
0:38:49 > 0:38:51HE LAUGHS
0:38:53 > 0:38:56To actually stop something this big and this heavy,
0:38:56 > 0:38:59at a specific point like a station,
0:38:59 > 0:39:01I have already discovered is very difficult.
0:39:03 > 0:39:06'I'm hoping that Muhammad was impressed with my efforts.'
0:39:06 > 0:39:08- So... - HE LAUGHS
0:39:08 > 0:39:10- Mr Robert. How was the drive? - How did I do?
0:39:10 > 0:39:12It was terrifying, but wonderful. Really exciting.
0:39:12 > 0:39:14- Did you learn something? - I think I learned...
0:39:14 > 0:39:17I learned how hard it is to drive a train, if nothing else.
0:39:17 > 0:39:20But what I found hard was to stop at the station.
0:39:20 > 0:39:22- Stopping is difficult...- Yeah.
0:39:22 > 0:39:26..because you have to see what is the load, how is the gradient,
0:39:26 > 0:39:28and where you have to stop the train,
0:39:28 > 0:39:29what is the speed of the train,
0:39:29 > 0:39:31and, as per that, you have to apply the brakes.
0:39:31 > 0:39:34And you have to stop the train on the particular spot,
0:39:34 > 0:39:37- before the signal, not after the signal.- No. You're right.
0:39:37 > 0:39:40- So, starting a train is very easy. - It's very easy.
0:39:40 > 0:39:42- Stopping a train... - Yeah.- Very hard, yes.
0:39:42 > 0:39:44Actually, the loco pilots are paid for stopping the train.
0:39:44 > 0:39:47- For stopping the train! - Not for driving the train!
0:39:49 > 0:39:51'I must've done something right,
0:39:51 > 0:39:54'because I've been told to report to the shunting yard.'
0:39:55 > 0:39:58'It normally takes more than seven years of training
0:39:58 > 0:40:01'before drivers are let loose on real locos,
0:40:01 > 0:40:04'but I've been given special permission to have a go.'
0:40:04 > 0:40:07Oh, my God. There it is. It's huge!
0:40:09 > 0:40:12My first proper Indian diesel locomotive.
0:40:13 > 0:40:18'This is the Indian-built, diesel-powered, 3,100 horsepower,
0:40:18 > 0:40:22'Shakti WDG3A shunting engine.
0:40:23 > 0:40:26'It's a workhorse of the Indian railways.
0:40:27 > 0:40:31'Looking after me is Chief Loco Inspector Ramesh Kakade.'
0:40:31 > 0:40:34- Hello, Ramesh.- Hello, sir!- Hello. - How are you? Come in!- Very good.
0:40:34 > 0:40:35- Can I sit down?- You're driving, yes!
0:40:35 > 0:40:39Oh, my own train. This is very exciting.
0:40:40 > 0:40:43'Now to see if I can remember everything Muhammad taught me
0:40:43 > 0:40:44'in the simulator.'
0:40:44 > 0:40:46- So, Ramesh, this is the throttle? - Yes, yes.
0:40:46 > 0:40:50Open the throttle. One notch. And release loco brake.
0:40:50 > 0:40:51Release loco brake.
0:40:51 > 0:40:53TRAIN HISSES
0:40:56 > 0:40:58- Oh, we're moving! - HE LAUGHS EXCITEDLY
0:40:58 > 0:41:00Now we're going.
0:41:00 > 0:41:03But once again I've forgotten something crucial.
0:41:04 > 0:41:07- Horn, horn.- Oh, yeah. Horn. This one?- Push, push, push.
0:41:07 > 0:41:09HORN BLASTS
0:41:11 > 0:41:14- Release, release... - Take it down?- Yes. Good.
0:41:17 > 0:41:18Bit of a tree, there.
0:41:18 > 0:41:21- Engine up one notch. - One notch?- Yes.- OK.- Yes.
0:41:22 > 0:41:25Oh, feel that acceleration! Wow!
0:41:25 > 0:41:27I think I might have done two notches.
0:41:27 > 0:41:30'Within this huge machine, speed is deceptive.'
0:41:31 > 0:41:32So, we're just going at...
0:41:32 > 0:41:35- Ooh, we're going a bit more than ten, yeah.- Oh.- Oh.
0:41:36 > 0:41:38'Just like in the simulator,
0:41:38 > 0:41:40'there appear to be some hazards on the line.
0:41:40 > 0:41:43TREES RASP ON METAL
0:41:43 > 0:41:46THEY CHATTER AND LAUGH AS TREES SCRAPE ON TRAIN
0:41:49 > 0:41:51- One notch. - One notch, yes?- Yes.- OK.
0:41:51 > 0:41:53Give it another notch.
0:41:54 > 0:41:56RAMESH CHATS IN HIS OWN LANGUAGE
0:41:56 > 0:41:58We're basically driving into a wood.
0:41:58 > 0:42:00TREES SCRAPE AGAIN BOTH: Ooh!
0:42:00 > 0:42:02'We're fast approaching the end of the track,
0:42:02 > 0:42:04'and I'm mindful of Muhammed's advice
0:42:04 > 0:42:06'that good drivers are good at stopping.'
0:42:06 > 0:42:08- So, shall I put the brakes on now, Ramesh?- Yes.
0:42:08 > 0:42:12- Time for the brake, time for the brake.- Ah.- Yes? Push. Push, push.
0:42:12 > 0:42:14- Push?- Yes.
0:42:14 > 0:42:17Whoa! Whoa!
0:42:17 > 0:42:18BRAKES GROAN
0:42:18 > 0:42:20THEY CHUCKLE
0:42:24 > 0:42:26- Wow.- Good.
0:42:26 > 0:42:27- Train stopped.- Good. Yes.
0:42:27 > 0:42:30- Thank you so much.- Good job. - Right, that was very good.
0:42:30 > 0:42:33- Am I a good driver?- Very good. Best driver.- Best driver!
0:42:33 > 0:42:35RAMESH LAUGHS
0:42:35 > 0:42:36I think it'll be a while
0:42:36 > 0:42:40before Robert's ready to join the ranks of CST's train drivers.
0:42:43 > 0:42:44It's just after 11 o'clock here,
0:42:44 > 0:42:48a pause between the chaos of morning and evening rush hours.
0:42:48 > 0:42:49But even at this time,
0:42:49 > 0:42:52it's busy by the standards of other world stations.
0:42:53 > 0:42:55Since the 1990s,
0:42:55 > 0:42:58the station has introduced a series of measures
0:42:58 > 0:43:01to cope with rapidly-increasing passenger numbers.
0:43:01 > 0:43:05This has included so-called double discharge platforms,
0:43:05 > 0:43:08and extending the length of trains.
0:43:08 > 0:43:10But, as more and more people move to Mumbai,
0:43:10 > 0:43:14the railway's managers are coming up with new ideas to expand capacity,
0:43:14 > 0:43:17and improve the travel experience for commuters.
0:43:19 > 0:43:20I'm joined now by Mukesh Nigam,
0:43:20 > 0:43:25who was the man in charge of this network from 2012 to 2015.
0:43:25 > 0:43:30Mr Nigam, you have 1,500 trains, they are currently running to capacity.
0:43:30 > 0:43:31In the next six years,
0:43:31 > 0:43:34your passengers are going to increase by 50%.
0:43:34 > 0:43:36How are you going to cope?
0:43:36 > 0:43:38It should be possible to run longer trains,
0:43:38 > 0:43:42and that will account for 33% of additional capacity.
0:43:42 > 0:43:45Instantly, just by adding more carriages, you can increase by 33%?
0:43:45 > 0:43:47- Yes.- That's quite a lot.- Yes.
0:43:47 > 0:43:51The second approach is to augment the infrastructure capacity
0:43:51 > 0:43:53by adding the lines.
0:43:53 > 0:43:58The work on fifth and sixth lines is already complete, by about 60%,
0:43:58 > 0:44:01and we expect in a couple of years the fifth and sixth lines
0:44:01 > 0:44:03to come in, right up to CST,
0:44:03 > 0:44:08which will give a major boost for running additional suburban trains
0:44:08 > 0:44:09as well as long-distance trains.
0:44:09 > 0:44:13- What about modernising? Any plans?- Yes.
0:44:13 > 0:44:15There are several schemes of modernisation,
0:44:15 > 0:44:18that is a continuous process.
0:44:18 > 0:44:22We are also trying to improve our ticket vending system.
0:44:22 > 0:44:26We have just introduced a mobile ticketing system
0:44:26 > 0:44:28where it is possible for the suburban commuter
0:44:28 > 0:44:30to buy his ticket on the mobile.
0:44:30 > 0:44:32What about the trains themselves?
0:44:32 > 0:44:38Yes. We have plans to modernise the trains, the interiors of the trains.
0:44:38 > 0:44:40There would be stainless steel bars,
0:44:40 > 0:44:44there would be more ergonomic designs in the coaches themselves.
0:44:44 > 0:44:48There's also plans for the introduction of AC trains.
0:44:48 > 0:44:50- Air-conditioned? - Air-conditioned trains.
0:44:50 > 0:44:53Air-conditioned trains, that will give major relief,
0:44:53 > 0:44:56and that will be in keeping with Metro systems across the globe.
0:44:56 > 0:45:00- You'll have to close the doors if you have air-conditioned carriages?- Yes.
0:45:00 > 0:45:03How will your travellers here in Mumbai react to that?
0:45:03 > 0:45:04Will they be open to that change?
0:45:04 > 0:45:07At the moment, they're used to jumping on and off,
0:45:07 > 0:45:09having the wind blow through their hair.
0:45:09 > 0:45:12Across the globe, in the suburban networks, the doors are shut.
0:45:13 > 0:45:18I think it's just a matter of getting used to
0:45:18 > 0:45:21and it's a matter of time, but if you want air-conditioning
0:45:21 > 0:45:23in your coaches, the doors have to be shut.
0:45:23 > 0:45:24If you close the doors,
0:45:24 > 0:45:27won't that mean you can fit fewer people on your trains
0:45:27 > 0:45:31and also, the time it takes to get the trains in and out of the stations
0:45:31 > 0:45:32will obviously increase?
0:45:32 > 0:45:33It's not the numbers.
0:45:33 > 0:45:36We have several suburban networks which carry
0:45:36 > 0:45:40the same number of passengers but with the doors that are shut.
0:45:40 > 0:45:45I'm sure with the closure of doors, not only will we have air-condition
0:45:45 > 0:45:48facilities that are coming, but it will also save some lives.
0:45:48 > 0:45:51- Do you sometimes feel you're fighting a losing battle here?- No, it is not.
0:45:51 > 0:45:55I am sure our commuters will realise that with each passing year,
0:45:55 > 0:45:59the control of the railways over running of trains is improving.
0:45:59 > 0:46:01Thank you very much.
0:46:01 > 0:46:04Now, capacity is just one of the challenges faced here.
0:46:04 > 0:46:08In the UK, we had an infamous issue with railways unable to cope
0:46:08 > 0:46:10with leaves on the line.
0:46:10 > 0:46:14Here, the weather has something far more drastic in its arsenal.
0:46:16 > 0:46:22June is the start of Mumbai's monsoon, the annual rainy season.
0:46:23 > 0:46:28The deluge of water can be catastrophic for this coastal city.
0:46:28 > 0:46:31Fallen trees, collapsing houses and
0:46:31 > 0:46:35landslides are all to be expected,
0:46:35 > 0:46:38along with cancelled buses and trains.
0:46:42 > 0:46:45It's disruptive, though not disastrous.
0:46:45 > 0:46:50But one year, the monsoon crippled the railways and shut the city down.
0:46:52 > 0:46:57On the afternoon of Tuesday 26th July 2005,
0:46:57 > 0:47:01almost a metre of rain fell -
0:47:01 > 0:47:04a year's worth of water in one day.
0:47:08 > 0:47:12Drains and sewage outlets were blocked with plastic bags
0:47:12 > 0:47:15and rubbish. The water had nowhere to go.
0:47:15 > 0:47:18The city and its transport hubs quickly
0:47:18 > 0:47:21disappeared below flash floods.
0:47:28 > 0:47:31As water swept up and over the railway tracks,
0:47:31 > 0:47:35submerging the electrical circuits that control the trains,
0:47:35 > 0:47:39the authorities were forced to cancel every service.
0:47:42 > 0:47:45Millions of Mumbaikars couldn't get to work.
0:47:45 > 0:47:48150,000 passengers were stranded.
0:47:48 > 0:47:51No-one could get anywhere.
0:47:56 > 0:47:59Since then, the railways have implemented a package of
0:47:59 > 0:48:04measures to ensure they can keep the trains operating during the rains.
0:48:08 > 0:48:12Tonight and every night, a special team of night workers called
0:48:12 > 0:48:14muck pickers will be out picking litter.
0:48:14 > 0:48:17This rubbish could block the drains during monsoon.
0:48:19 > 0:48:23And because the normal electrical signalling systems stop working
0:48:23 > 0:48:25once the water reaches track level,
0:48:25 > 0:48:29they've installed axle counters that count the wheels on the trains.
0:48:29 > 0:48:33This means that the signals can keep on working.
0:48:33 > 0:48:36And the trains can keep running in up to 10cm of water.
0:48:42 > 0:48:45It's clear that the team here at the station are working hard to
0:48:45 > 0:48:48cope with extreme weather, overcrowding
0:48:48 > 0:48:51and ever-increasing passenger numbers.
0:48:51 > 0:48:53New trains and new lines will help,
0:48:53 > 0:48:55but it's not going to be a quick fix.
0:48:55 > 0:48:58This place is a victim of its own success.
0:48:58 > 0:49:01It's been providing an effective service,
0:49:01 > 0:49:05moving commuters round the city, for more than 120 years.
0:49:05 > 0:49:08But it's running out of space to expand
0:49:08 > 0:49:12and that's the same story all over the city.
0:49:17 > 0:49:19Mumbai is India's honey pot.
0:49:19 > 0:49:22More billionaires live here than anywhere else in the country.
0:49:22 > 0:49:27And every day, more people move here, hoping to make their fortunes.
0:49:27 > 0:49:32It's home to more than 17 million people and counting.
0:49:32 > 0:49:37The big question for the future is how can the public transport
0:49:37 > 0:49:42system keep pace with the needs of this growing population?
0:49:42 > 0:49:46I'm in the northern suburb of Andheri with Siva Sriraman,
0:49:46 > 0:49:49professor of transport economics at Mumbai University.
0:49:49 > 0:49:52He explains that part of the problem is the city's geography.
0:49:54 > 0:49:57So, here we are in the suburbs.
0:49:57 > 0:49:59And beyond this, we have exiting suburbs too
0:49:59 > 0:50:01and we have a transport system,
0:50:01 > 0:50:04public transport system which goes through that,
0:50:04 > 0:50:08but only in a north-south direction, not necessarily in the east-west,
0:50:08 > 0:50:11because east-west connections have hardly been built.
0:50:11 > 0:50:14- So, too many people and the trains are in the wrong place.- Yes.
0:50:14 > 0:50:19Mumbai's main road and rail arteries run north-south,
0:50:19 > 0:50:24leaving most of the suburbs stranded without east-west connections.
0:50:24 > 0:50:25Has there been investment
0:50:25 > 0:50:28in creating a public transport system here over the last decade?
0:50:28 > 0:50:32Virtually nothing. In the past three, four decades,
0:50:32 > 0:50:34nothing has been done on that front.
0:50:34 > 0:50:36More roads have been built
0:50:36 > 0:50:39and they have catered to the individuals,
0:50:39 > 0:50:42rather than the mass transit-moving public.
0:50:42 > 0:50:44So, first of all, what is the solution?
0:50:44 > 0:50:47I suppose the solution is only to go underground,
0:50:47 > 0:50:50or go over, by way of elevated.
0:50:50 > 0:50:54But then, this is a very expensive solution.
0:50:55 > 0:50:57Expensive or not,
0:50:57 > 0:51:01elevated lines are the plan for the future of Mumbai's railways
0:51:01 > 0:51:04and the first new metro line is already in action.
0:51:06 > 0:51:09'I'm joining the passengers here in Andheri
0:51:09 > 0:51:10'to see what it's like.'
0:51:13 > 0:51:15Funded by public-private partnership,
0:51:15 > 0:51:18the line runs 11.5 kilometres, east to west,
0:51:18 > 0:51:20between Ghatkopar and Versova.
0:51:23 > 0:51:25Wow.
0:51:25 > 0:51:28It's like a different city.
0:51:28 > 0:51:30Brand-new,
0:51:30 > 0:51:32ultramodern railway.
0:51:36 > 0:51:38But it's come at a price.
0:51:38 > 0:51:42It was meant to cost a quarter of a billion pounds.
0:51:42 > 0:51:46Construction and regulation delays doubled this to half a billion
0:51:46 > 0:51:49by the time it opened in 2014.
0:51:50 > 0:51:53The platforms couldn't be more different to the suburban railway,
0:51:53 > 0:51:55there's a yellow line, everyone stands behind it,
0:51:55 > 0:51:58people get off in an orderly fashion and everyone else gets on.
0:52:01 > 0:52:03- Ah. - BEEPING
0:52:03 > 0:52:05Air-conditioned, spacious.
0:52:05 > 0:52:07I won't get nutted every time I move.
0:52:07 > 0:52:08And look at these maps.
0:52:08 > 0:52:11Little maps telling you exactly where you are,
0:52:11 > 0:52:13with little lights that blink and off.
0:52:13 > 0:52:15I might even take a seat.
0:52:20 > 0:52:23'Before the Metro, this journey involved heading into the city
0:52:23 > 0:52:26'and back out again, and took over an hour.
0:52:26 > 0:52:30'This more direct route takes just 21 minutes.'
0:52:33 > 0:52:36It costs up to 40 rupees,
0:52:36 > 0:52:38double the normal train fare,
0:52:38 > 0:52:42but that hasn't put off close to 300,000 people,
0:52:42 > 0:52:44who use it every day.
0:52:44 > 0:52:45Do you like this train?
0:52:45 > 0:52:48We feel like we're travelling in a car, not a train.
0:52:48 > 0:52:51- It's like being in a car. - Yes.- Is it expensive?
0:52:51 > 0:52:53No, not that expensive, normally.
0:52:54 > 0:52:57Do you think it should extend much further around Mumbai?
0:52:57 > 0:52:58Of course it should.
0:52:58 > 0:53:01- It should be at least ten times this.- Ten times?- Yes.
0:53:01 > 0:53:05It's actually extremely well kept and clean.
0:53:05 > 0:53:08It provides a connectivity we didn't have earlier,
0:53:08 > 0:53:10the east end, west end, central.
0:53:12 > 0:53:14The government has pledged heavy investment
0:53:14 > 0:53:17in Mumbai's transport infrastructure,
0:53:17 > 0:53:21including, despite the expense, two more Metro lines.
0:53:21 > 0:53:24But some experts have reservations.
0:53:24 > 0:53:25How are you doing? Good to see you.
0:53:25 > 0:53:30Rishi Aggarwal is a member of the Mumbai Transport Forum.
0:53:30 > 0:53:31We are happy the Metro is coming
0:53:31 > 0:53:34and a new mass transport option is coming to the city,
0:53:34 > 0:53:38but you really need to understand that the Metro is way too late.
0:53:38 > 0:53:41I mean, the first plan for a Metro in Mumbai was the 1940s.
0:53:41 > 0:53:45And by now, huge amounts of Mumbaians populate it
0:53:45 > 0:53:47and it's going to be extremely difficult
0:53:47 > 0:53:49to be able to carry out the construction work.
0:53:49 > 0:53:51They say it will be ready in five to six years,
0:53:51 > 0:53:54but it will take a good ten years before the Metro is ready.
0:53:54 > 0:53:55So, you're saying it's too late,
0:53:55 > 0:53:57it's too short and it's too expensive.
0:53:57 > 0:54:00Yes, it's extremely expensive. Line two and line three together
0:54:00 > 0:54:05will cost almost 15 billion US dollars in today's cost.
0:54:05 > 0:54:08What can be done in the short-term to try and sort this out?
0:54:08 > 0:54:11We can invest heavily in air-conditioned buses.
0:54:11 > 0:54:13We already have an existing road network,
0:54:13 > 0:54:17which we are utilising very inefficiently and cars are growing,
0:54:17 > 0:54:20like a very rapid rate. Because of that, roads are getting choked up,
0:54:20 > 0:54:23but if you introduced thousands of air-conditioned buses on the road
0:54:23 > 0:54:26and create the necessary political leadership and fund for that,
0:54:26 > 0:54:29then we will be able to provide an immediate solution to Mumbaians.
0:54:29 > 0:54:31That's the immediate solution,
0:54:31 > 0:54:33but ultimately is Mumbai always going to be trying to catch up?
0:54:33 > 0:54:36I would think it is clearly possible
0:54:36 > 0:54:39to quickly, simultaneously prepare plans
0:54:39 > 0:54:41for five or six different things
0:54:41 > 0:54:43which can help solve Mumbai's problems in a decade.
0:54:43 > 0:54:46It is the politicians who need to decide to set up the institutions,
0:54:46 > 0:54:49and then solutions, like Transport For London, etc,
0:54:49 > 0:54:51which can plan for the long-term future of Mumbai.
0:54:53 > 0:54:56The Metro certainly looks like a vision for the future,
0:54:56 > 0:54:57but we'll have to wait and see
0:54:57 > 0:54:59if this mega-city's transport systems
0:54:59 > 0:55:03can keep pace with the speed of its expansion.
0:55:03 > 0:55:05What Mumbai is dealing with is all the big issues
0:55:05 > 0:55:09that are confronting other great cities in the world at the moment.
0:55:09 > 0:55:12The historic shape of the city makes it difficult to develop,
0:55:12 > 0:55:14an increasing population...
0:55:14 > 0:55:17It's sort of hard to see where the extra capacity's going to go,
0:55:17 > 0:55:18what choices they have.
0:55:18 > 0:55:20The bottom line is there's just too many people
0:55:20 > 0:55:23who want to travel too far, too fast every year.
0:55:23 > 0:55:25The problem that seems special to India
0:55:25 > 0:55:29is that there doesn't seem to be an integrated transport plan,
0:55:29 > 0:55:32like London's Crossrail, where they're investing a load of money.
0:55:32 > 0:55:34Here, everything's a bit piecemeal.
0:55:34 > 0:55:36You've got a road here, a Metro station there,
0:55:36 > 0:55:38but none of it links up
0:55:38 > 0:55:40and you can't ultimately get to where you want to be.
0:55:40 > 0:55:43You mentioned it there, you've got a load of money, that's the thing,
0:55:43 > 0:55:45Crossrail's costing 15 billion quid.
0:55:45 > 0:55:49There just isn't the money to come up with those grand plans.
0:55:49 > 0:55:51It's clearly a system that's working
0:55:51 > 0:55:54at the very edge of what can be considered possible.
0:55:54 > 0:55:57But what astonishes me is that people put up with it,
0:55:57 > 0:55:59that they cram onto these trains every day.
0:55:59 > 0:56:01I mean, it's just overwhelming,
0:56:01 > 0:56:03- the amount of people that get on the trains.- Well,
0:56:03 > 0:56:05we have loved our time here,
0:56:05 > 0:56:09particularly getting to explore that incredible building behind us.
0:56:09 > 0:56:10Personally, my highlight
0:56:10 > 0:56:12was getting to travel on a long-distance train.
0:56:12 > 0:56:15I think my favourite, I have to say, boyhood dream -
0:56:15 > 0:56:19actually driving a proper locomotive. 65 tonnes of power.
0:56:19 > 0:56:21- Yes, we've heard a lot about that! - THEY LAUGH
0:56:21 > 0:56:23Mine was definitely rush-hour.
0:56:23 > 0:56:26I thought, how bad can it be, I'm a Londoner, I'm used to busy trains,
0:56:26 > 0:56:28but it was crazy.
0:56:28 > 0:56:30We have had an incredible time in Mumbai.
0:56:30 > 0:56:31Here are some of the highlights.
0:56:43 > 0:56:47'Over the last four shows, we've been lucky enough to explore
0:56:47 > 0:56:49'every inch of this astonishing railway.'
0:56:49 > 0:56:50Whoa!
0:56:51 > 0:56:55'We've pulled the levers, pushed the buttons...'
0:56:55 > 0:56:57What you have done, Mr Robert,
0:56:57 > 0:57:00- you have killed one cow.- Oh, no!
0:57:00 > 0:57:02'..and really got our hands dirty.'
0:57:02 > 0:57:04We've been told to go quicker.
0:57:04 > 0:57:05We're on the move now.
0:57:05 > 0:57:08We've seen what it takes to keep this place on track...
0:57:10 > 0:57:11..and did our best to help.
0:57:11 > 0:57:13Oh, I've gone off!
0:57:13 > 0:57:14ROBERT CRIES
0:57:14 > 0:57:16TRAIN HORN
0:57:17 > 0:57:20We tackled the hardcore commute...
0:57:20 > 0:57:22It's a fight! What is happening?
0:57:22 > 0:57:25Experienced the super-dense commuter crush...
0:57:25 > 0:57:28- Yes!- We're getting on, we're getting on.
0:57:28 > 0:57:30I made the train!
0:57:30 > 0:57:32That is quite unbelievable.
0:57:32 > 0:57:35And ploughed through the city's crazy traffic.
0:57:35 > 0:57:38- This is the worst new road ever! - This is one of the other ones.
0:57:38 > 0:57:41- Sack the road builders.- Yes.
0:57:41 > 0:57:44On the way, we've learned quite how much this place means
0:57:44 > 0:57:46to the people of Mumbai.
0:57:56 > 0:57:57It's a symbol for what's most important.
0:57:57 > 0:58:00Railways are the most important thing, not just the country,
0:58:00 > 0:58:02but even the city, and the functioning of the city.
0:58:02 > 0:58:04ROAR OF TRAFFIC
0:58:04 > 0:58:06Whoo!
0:58:07 > 0:58:09It has been quite an experience.
0:58:12 > 0:58:15It has been such a privilege, spending time here
0:58:15 > 0:58:18and learning how that remarkable station works.
0:58:18 > 0:58:20Yes, thank you to Central Railway,
0:58:20 > 0:58:23our hosts here at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus
0:58:23 > 0:58:26and to all the station staff for sharing their knowledge with us.
0:58:26 > 0:58:27And thank you for watching.
0:58:27 > 0:58:30- Goodbye.- Goodbye.- Goodbye.