In a bid to manage surging commuter pressure at Prabhadevi station, the Western Railway (WR) has rolled out immediate operational tweaks and approved a new infrastructure proposal. The strain has intensified due to the ongoing reconstruction of the nearby Elphinstone Road railway overbridge, forcing a major interchange flow from Central Railway's Parel station to be handled here.
Operational Shifts to Ease Platform Crush
Western Railway has begun halting Churchgate-bound local trains three coaches behind the usual stopping point. This tactical move is designed to nudge disembarking passengers towards the wider foot overbridges (FOBs) at the station's north end, instead of letting them concentrate on the more congested south side. The goal is to spread passenger movement more evenly across the station's facilities.
Confirming the steps, WR Chief Public Relations Officer Vineet Abhishek stated that these changes aim at "spreading commuter movement more evenly across the station and significantly reducing choke points during peak hours."
New Staircase Proposal to Tackle Bottlenecks
Recognizing that current measures may not suffice, the railway administration has approved a plan to add a new staircase or escalator at the Prabhadevi station's south FOB. The proposed structure will be built at the north-west landing of the south FOB, subject to feasibility studies. However, work can commence only after the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) hands over a land parcel it owns at the site.
Currently, commuters relying on the south FOB have access only to the staircase at the south-west landing, which frequently becomes a severe bottleneck, especially during morning and evening rush hours. The addition is expected to ease this persistent congestion.
Underlying Challenges and Commuter Concerns
The pressure on Prabhadevi's infrastructure is multifaceted. The closure of the west-side entry to the Elphinstone Road overbridge, scheduled for December 7, 2025, is anticipated to intensify footfall on all three of the station's FOBs. Furthermore, the area has witnessed explosive commercial growth. The Lower Parel–Elphinstone belt now houses nearly 1.3 crore square feet of office space, drawing an estimated 3 to 3.5 lakh people to work in the precinct daily.
Some commuters, however, feel the measures are insufficient. Regular passenger Rajiv Shah criticized the plan as a "piecemeal approach." He advocated for a more permanent solution: "A deck-like arrangement above the platforms, similar to Andheri and Borivli, is essential for a high-density station like Prabhadevi. It will shift dispersal away from platform level and declog the circulating area," he said.
Railway officials have also emphasized the need for speed in the core reconstruction project. A senior WR officer highlighted, "MMRDA must ensure the rebuilt ROB is completed quickly. The longer the bridge remains unavailable, the more pressure builds on the station's FOBs and exits." The shadow of the September 29, 2017 stampede at the then Elphinstone Road station, which claimed 23 lives, looms large over these discussions, with current interventions aimed squarely at preventing any tragic recurrence.
