Last week Richard blogged about extreme commuting in the US, where more and more people are spending 2-3 hours each way. Today Eric Bellman of the WSJ (sub required) explores the deadly nature of commuting in the high-growth, developing city of Mumbai, India. From the article:
"India’s economic growth in the past several years has
brought new wealth and a higher standard of living to many in this
metropolis of 18 million. But it also has created suburban sprawl that
is adding more people to a rail network that has seen few new trains or
tracks added in the past 30 years.
Indian officials have a new term to describe the 2.5
times capacity crowds that now ride at peak hours: Super-Dense Crush
Load. That is, 550 people crammed into a car built for 200.
The result is what may be the world’s most dangerous
commute. According to Mumbai police: 3,404 people, or about 13 each
weekday, were killed in 2006 scrambling across the tracks, tumbling off
packed trains, slipping off platforms, or sticking their heads out open
doors and windows for air.
The toll has been increasing as daily ridership has
increased to more than six million people a day. Last year’s tally was
up 10% from the year before. Accidents are so common that stations
stock sheets to cover corpses."
The article is accompanied by interesting video and image features as well.
posted by David
