Western Railway Designates Station Officials to Tackle Stray Dog Issue
Western Railway has stepped up efforts to manage the presence of stray dogs across its Mumbai stations, including key stops along the suburban network between Churchgate and Borivali, by appointing dedicated station-level officials to monitor the issue and coordinate with municipal authorities.
Under the newly introduced arrangement, station masters and station superintendents will serve as nodal officers for their respective stations. They are tasked with overseeing station premises, responding directly to passenger complaints, taking preventive steps to keep stray dogs off platforms, and liaising with the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation.
The initiative follows directions issued by the Supreme Court concerning stray animals at high-footfall public locations such as railway stations, bus terminals, hospitals, and schools. In response, Western Railway issued an internal circular roughly ten days ago to all stations under its Mumbai Division to streamline the response process.
Western Railway has reached out to 25 to 30 BMC ward officials serving areas along the Western Line between Churchgate and Borivali. Under the agreed workflow, once stray dogs are identified and caught on railway property, the civic body will assume custody of the animals and arrange appropriate shelter facilities.
To improve accountability, the designated nodal officers have been instructed to maintain records of all complaints received and actions taken. Station-level compliance reports will be submitted to divisional authorities as required. Furthermore, Western Railway plans to compile station-wise data on stray dog sightings and public grievances to share with the BMC for ongoing monitoring and assessment.
The names and contact details of the designated nodal officials will also be displayed at stations, enabling commuters to register complaints easily. Railway officials noted that handling issues at the station level will eliminate delays caused by multi-department coordination and improve safety at crowded suburban stations.
