A late-night journey on Mumbai’s suburban railway network has drawn attention on social media after an Instagram creator shared why she felt comfortable travelling through the city well past midnight.
The video, posted by an Instagram creator, @this_is_aditi._, shows her at Marine Lines railway station around 12:30 am. In the video, she shares the visible presence of the police, women moving around independently. Her video shows female passengers travelling on Mumbai local trains after midnight, saying her experience left her feeling safe instead of scared.
The video has since ignited conversations online, with several users relating to her experience while others pointed out that perceptions of safety vary from one city to another.
‘It may sound strange, but I don’t feel scared’
“It’s 12:30 at night. I am at Mumbai’s Marine Lines Local station. You can see the police standing here. It may sound very strange, but I don’t feel scared,” the video begins.
Aditi pointed the camera towards police personnel on duty to highlight the safety measures and noted that a significant number of commuters were still present at the station. The last local train in Mumbai departs from its origin station around 1:00 am every morning — with police officials posted in the women’s compartments from 11:00 pm onwards.
According to the video, the atmosphere at the station, within local trains and in the city as a whole gave the influencer confidence to travel without constantly worrying about her safety. Aditi drew a comparison with other cities, noting that women often step out at night with their faces covered because “the world has convinced us that the problem is our face.” She contrasted that with her experience in Mumbai, saying the city made her feel more confident while travelling late at night.
‘Now you know why it’s called the dream city’
Towards the end of the video, Aditi explains why the experience reinforced Mumbai’s image as the “dream city”.
She adds, “Now you know why it’s called the dream city. You can dream with open eyes at any time of day or night and run after those dreams without fear.”
The video ends with a heartfelt message dedicated to the city: “Mumbai, you are love.”
Here’s how the social media reacted
The video attracted numerous reactions, with many users mentioning they had experienced a similar situation in Mumbai.
One user commented, “Even if cops are not around, you are probably safe. Thank you, Aditi, for the positive views and your experience. The only caveat is to avoid dark and shady places, travel and stay in well-lit and busy areas.
Another user stated, “That’s true….I experienced the same.” One commenter replied, “Have you header of Gujarat?”.
While the reactions reflected different perspectives, the video has sparked a broader online conversation about women’s experiences while travelling late at night.
Recent incidents that shocked Mumbai
While Aditi’s video reflects her personal experience of travelling on a Mumbai local after midnight, the city has also experienced incidents of violence on its suburban railway network in recent months.
Last week, a 22-year-old man was stabbed allegedly to death inside a Mumbai local train after an argument over whether the train doors should be kept open during the rains. Earlier this year, another man was also allegedly stabbed after a heated dispute near Malad railway station. Both incidents sparked widespread attention and shocked many commuters because they were seen as unusual.
Disclaimer: The content in this article is based on a viral social media discussion and is intended for informational and entertainment purposes only.