Palghar's Vadhiv Island Students Walk on Railway Tracks to Reach School

Schoolchildren and more than 4,000 residents living on Vadhiv island in Palghar district are forced to walk across a railway bridge and active railway tracks daily due to the lack of any road connectivity to the mainland.

The village, located between Vaitarna and Saphale stations on the Western Railway line, has no road link. As a result, students commuting to Saraswati Vidyalaya at Phanaspada in Saphale must walk about 2 to 2.5 kilometres each way directly along the bridge and tracks, as no alternative or safer route exists.

The long-pending infrastructure issue resurfaced after students circulated a video highlighting the dangers they encounter during their commute. The hazard escalates whenever trains pass while students, pregnant women, patients, and local workers attempt to cross to the mainland.

In the video, Class VIII student Sohil Chaudhary appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to provide road connectivity to the isolated village. He stated that students are terrified whenever trains approach and that their lives are under constant threat while travelling to attend classes.

Most residents of Vadhiv rely on agriculture or commute to Vasai-Virar and nearby localities for their livelihoods, remaining entirely dependent on the railway bridge for their daily movement.