Wear Your White campaign for better train services for MMR sees low turnout

Mumbai: A peaceful protest organised by various railway passenger associations on Thursday morning saw limited participation, despite calls for improved train services and infrastructure upgrades. The demonstration, part of the “Wear Your White” campaign, took place until 9:30 a.m. at several railway stations across Mumbai’s suburban network.
Association members distributed black bands to commuters at Thane, Dombivli, Asangaon, and Diva stations. However, support was notably scarce in Badlapur, which had witnessed a nearly 10-hour rail blockade on Tuesday. That earlier protest had drawn thousands, expressing outrage over perceived inaction by state authorities in addressing the sexual assault of two four-year-old girls.
The associations presented a list of demands, including prioritising local trains over long-distance services during peak hours and restricting long-distance trains from tracks designated for local services on the Kurla to Kalyan corridor. They also called for the expedited completion of long-delayed projects, with railways announcing firm deadlines.
Additional requests included the implementation of a “Code Red” system when local services are disrupted, the utilisation of mail train lines for local services, and the establishment of a dedicated joint authority for the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR).
Most passenger associations began setting up stalls and distributing black bands from 6:30 a.m. Following notices from railway authorities warning against unlawful activities on rail premises, the stalls were positioned outside station entrances.
In Dombivli, association members reported distributing 10,000 black ribbons to the public.
Siddesh Desai, a member of Mumbai Rail Pravasi Sangh, stated, “We distributed around 25,000 black bands to commuters approaching the stations. We have received fair response from the public till now and the protest has been peaceful.”
Many members departed for work after participating in the morning’s activities. Sanjay Mistry, a member of the rail passenger association from Badlapur, commented, “We distributed around 1,000 black bands. Neither the public nor the media seem to understand the importance of this protest given the low interest levels.”
The associations’ “Wear Your White” campaign failed to gain significant traction. Madhu Kotian, president of Mumbai Rail Pravasi Sangh, observed, “Barely 1% of the public knew or acknowledged this protest while the rest didn’t seem to be bothered by the rail issues. Despite publicising about the protest on social media, the public seemed indifferent to such serious issues plaguing this city’s most essential mode of commute.”
Protesters posed with banners and documented the event through photographs. At several stations, the demonstrations concluded by 9:30 a.m.
Railway officials reported that police personnel were deployed in substantial numbers across various stations to monitor the situation.