On Monday, the Western Railway (WR) set up joint inspection teams that will visit various locations between Churchgate-Dahanu section where there are slums and garbage are dumped on rail lines. This team have been asked to tackle the menace of littering and open defecation along the railway lines and on their premises. The WR officials said that each team will consist of a supervisor and staffs comprising of various departments like from engineering, Railway Protection Force (RPF), Commercial and Medical. These teams have been formed after there were meetings held last week by the Divisional Railway Manager of Mumbai for WR, Sunil Kumar. He said, "With the help of local bodies like MCGM, we will be taking action against littering. We shall also be requesting the MCGM to take action like disconnecting water and electric supply. Our joint teams shall be not only counselling the slum dwellers staying next to rail lines on our premises but shall also be prosecuted and fined under relevant sections". The nominated supervisors and staff will start from major railway stations. The first spot from where the drive shall begin will be Mahim station and its nearby areas. "They will visit different vulnerable locations and sections to conduct awareness among the slum dwellers. They will also impose fine against those caught littering. The cleaning staff will also clean the location where the team visits," said a WR official. WR authorities are struggling to clear these garbage and filth lying in heaps along the rail tracks and even those accumulated with ballasts. At many locations on the WR – Mahim, Bandra, Jogeshwari, Ram Mandir, Kandivali, Dahisar etc, the garbage and muck have been dumped on railway premises by the encroachments occupying railway land. Until Sunday, WR authorities have managed to collect and remove over 4,000 cubic meters of garbage and muck. At Mahim itself, the WR is unable to utilize four rail lines that were meant to stable trains at night due to encroachments.

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