Mirror reporter Arita Sarkar travelled in the ladies’ first class compartment from Churchgate to Borivali, and found commuters tend to avoid closed doors. A guard operates ‘automated’ doors and sensors don’t work.

The first train with closed doors, installed in the ladies’ first class compartment for trial, encountered several minor glitches during its journey from Churchgate to Borivali on the Western Line. Mainly, the closed doors proved daunting to passengers with just a handful boarding the compartment.While commuters pointed to the absence of a grabbing pole for boarding, Mirror observed that a guard positioned to the train’s rear is the one who actually opens and shuts the automated doors by pressing a button, depending on the crowd.Also, while WR said the doors are equipped with sensors to prevent accidents, Mirror found they don’t work when the correspondent extended a hand between closing doors.Passengers appeared apprehensive of the makeover. Digna Popat, a daily commuter who travels from Dadar to Malad, said while closed doors might stop people from falling out of moving trains, it would be risky at crowded stations.“I don’t think closed doors would work in a city like Mumbai since people are in the habit of hanging from the compartment’s doors. If this does work out, railway officials should have a system to warn to warn people when the door is about to shut, like a beeper,” said Popat.Nilakshi Mani, who boarded the train at Santacruz, chose to get into the adjoining general first class compartment instead of the ladies one equipped with doors. “The door wasn’t opening so I thought perhaps the coach was closed to commuters. Such a system will not stop people from jumping onto trains. It may work in the first class but it won’t be successful in second class compartments,” she said.Nikita Kothari pointed out that it would be suffocating for second class passengers, especially during the monsoon months. Others said the lack of a grabbing pole made it difficult to board at stations where the distance between the train and the platform was more than normal.WR chief spokesperson Sharat Chandrayan said the first step had been taken and the finer details will be worked out. “People had been sceptical about having elevators in railway stations. I have faith that people can adapt to the change. It will take some time with closed-door trains but people will get used to that as well,” he said. Chandrayan said trains in other countries as well as Metro ones don’t have central grabbing poles. “If we install them too far from the door, then their purpose will be defeated,” he said.Eventually, the railways plans to have four closed door trains each on the Central and Western lines within a year. The current train with the single closed door compartment will continue to run while more compartments will be converted over time.“Our main purpose is to stop people from catching running trains. This system won’t allow trains to move until the doors have closed. For the first few days, temporary railway staff will be handling the doors. After the system is in place, guards will be hired to do the same,” said Chandrayan.