Badlapur railway station stray dogs have become a passenger-safety concern after a woman and a young woman were bitten last week, according to a report by Loksatta – Thane. The incidents have added to growing unease among commuters who use the station late at night or in the early morning.
The report states that both victims required immediate medical treatment after being bitten. It also says stray dogs have been entering the station in recent days and are seen resting on platforms even during busy periods. Passengers getting off or boarding suburban trains are therefore having to move around dogs on the platforms.
The issue is not limited to the station. Loksatta – Thane reports that stray-dog numbers have been increasing in several parts of Badlapur, including outside residential complexes, on roads and at junctions. Residents have reported dogs running towards pedestrians, particularly people returning home late at night or leaving their homes early in the morning.
The report has highlighted the difficulties faced by office-goers who reach Badlapur station late after work. Once they leave the station, passengers walking towards their homes may encounter groups of stray dogs on roads and at public crossings. Senior citizens who go out for morning walks are also reported to be avoiding or fearing these encounters.
According to the report, sterilisation and vaccination work for stray dogs across the city has been progressing slowly. The reported increase in dog groups has consequently become visible not only in neighbourhoods but also within a busy public transport facility. The presence of dogs on platforms creates a direct interface between an unmanaged civic issue and daily railway operations.
Badlapur station serves passengers arriving on suburban trains, making platform access and movement important parts of the safety problem. Dogs lying in passenger circulation areas can force commuters to change their path while boarding or alighting, particularly when platforms are crowded. The situation is more difficult for older passengers, children and people carrying luggage, although the supplied report does not provide a separate count of affected groups.
The report does not mention any response from railway authorities or the civic administration, nor does it provide figures for the number of stray dogs, sterilisation targets or vaccination coverage in the city. It records the two recent bite incidents and describes continuing concerns among residents and passengers. The immediate administrative questions are whether the dogs can be removed safely from platform areas and whether the pending sterilisation and vaccination work will be accelerated.
