A common question asked on the Mumbai Suburban Railway is, “Would you get off after the train has stopped?” This question can be a cultural shock to first-time travelers. Despite initial reluctance, many commuters eventually adopt the practice of jumping off moving trains, risking their lives and limbs – behavior that even a dog knows better than to do.
Recently, a video of a dog traveling on a Mumbai local train went viral on social media, highlighting its mistreatment by a human. The dog seemed accustomed to the mass transit system, much like some regular commuters on the Western Line, showing a good understanding of physics.
The incident unfolded when a man, seemingly bothered by the dog’s presence, was caught on camera trying to harass it into leaving the train. The caption of the 16-second YouTube video read, “A dog travels in a Mumbai Local train and strictly follows the rules.” The clip shows the commuter attempting to push the dog off the train after it arrives at a platform, even though the train hadn’t come to a complete halt. Despite the man’s efforts, the dog abides by the rules and only steps off the train once it stops.
Social media users commented on the video, with one user saying, “That dog is smarter than 90% of Mumbai local passengers.” Another described it as the “Perfect example to be confident and not listen to stupids. Lesson learnt from an intelligent dog.”
The undated footage has sparked discussions on social media, with many pointing out how the dog behaves more civilly than the man. As of October 2023, Mumbai is estimated to be home to over 1,60,000 stray dogs. With a Central Railway network spanning around 427 km and more than 1,800 trains operating, interactions between humans and dogs on local trains are inevitable and have been widely documented in the city.