Viral Video Captures Mumbai Local Train Chaos, Sparks Debate on City’s Resilience

Viral Video: A viral video from Ghatkopar station has reignited frustration over Mumbai’s overcrowded local trains, with commuters seen pushing, shouting “utar utar” (get down), and struggling to board a fast train during peak hours.  

The clip, shared by a Reddit user with the caption “This was yesterday’s crowd at Ghatkopar, it was a fast train,” captures the chaos of passengers jostling, pulling, and yelling at each other to deboard amid the sea of people. 

The video has resonated deeply with Mumbaikars who face this “daily grind” across stations like Kalyan, Thane, Kurla, Dadar, Andheri, Bandra, and Virar. One user recalled being stuck in the crowd and shouting, “Kheech mujhe, KHEEECH!!” to get down at Ghatkopar. Another shared how the daily commute often feels like being “a living corpse without an emotion inside Mumbai local.”

“Everyday… the same crowd, the same chaos, and no improvement in seven years. Then when ‘accidents’ happen, they call it just accidents,” a comment read, expressing anger over how systemic issues are normalised as the “spirit of Mumbai.” 

Another user added, “It’s not an accident when your ₹30k salary in Mumbai is not enough, and babus travel in fancy cars while people hang out of trains.”

While some remarked that India’s daily struggles prepare its citizens for success abroad, others questioned why the government overlooks such viral videos showing citizens risking their lives daily.

Mumbai’s local trains, often called the city’s lifeline, carry over 7.5 million people each day. Despite promises under various urban transport projects to ease congestion, many say overcrowding during rush hour has only worsened.

For many, the video is not just another viral clip but a reminder that the “agni-pariksha” of daily life in Mumbai’s locals remains unchanged, leaving commuters to romanticise survival instead of demanding safer public transport.