"Human indicator" Narendra Patil dedicates mornings to guiding lost commuters trying to navigate Mumbai local on Dadar Bridge
Mumbai, August 6
Thousands of people travel daily via local trains through Mumbai's bustling Dadar railway station, often struggling with confusion during peak morning hours. To bridge this gap, a resident named Narendra Patil stands on the Dadar bridge every weekday from 9:30 AM to 11:30 AM, directing passengers toward trains bound for Virar, Borivali, or Churchgate before heading to his job in Mulund.
Narendra Patil stands on the Dadar bridge, guiding passengers who are unsure of their way, whether they need trains bound for Virar or Borivali. He has been performing this service for about four years, standing there every morning to help commuters with directions.
He stepped into this role because of the lack of proper indicators, effectively becoming a "human indicator."
Commuters who pass by regularly meet him and praise him for his efforts.
Narendra Patil spends two hours daily on the Dadar bridge guiding travellers before heading to Mulund for his job.
Narendra Patil spends two hours on weekdays at the Dadar Bridge helping travellers find the right platforms and trains doing so since 2022. Patil helps the confused commuter by showing them the right direction to catch their trains.
On the other hand, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways issued a draft notification proposing amendments to the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989, for the phased implementation of a vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication systems framework aimed at enhancing road safety.V2V communication enables nearby vehicles to exchange real-time information, including their speed, position, direction, acceleration, etc.
"This information can provide warnings to drivers or vehicle systems in safety-critical situations, including sudden braking, forward-collision risk, unsafe lane changes and the approach of emergency vehicles," the Ministry noted.
According to the proposal, the Department of Telecommunications exempted the required frequency range from licensing requirements through a specific directive.
"The 5.875 GHz to 5.925 GHz frequency band has been considered for V2V and other Intelligent Transportation System applications. The Department of Telecommunications, through G.S.R. 466(E) dated 10 June 2026, has exempted the use of this frequency band from licensing requirements," the Ministry stated.
The framework details how the technology functions beyond current safety setups.
"Unlike conventional vehicle-safety systems, which primarily depend on onboard sensors and driver reaction, V2V communication can provide information beyond the direct line of sight. It is therefore expected to complement Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) and support proactive accident prevention, connected mobility and future intelligent transport applications," the Ministry added.
The AIS-230 standard covers factory-installed On-Board Units using Cellular Vehicle-to-Everything (C-V2X) technology in the 5.875 GHz to 5.925 GHz band. Its principal requirements include radio performance, frequency stability, output-power specifications, receiver sensitivity, Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) positioning, electrical requirements, electromagnetic compatibility, cybersecurity provisions, and road-safety application performance. It provides for safety use cases such as Emergency Brake Alert, Forward Collision Warning, Wrong-way Driving, and Emergency Vehicle Alert.
Earlier, a dedicated Task Force constituted by the Ministry recommended using the 5.9 GHz ITS/V2X frequency range for road safety. The Central Motor Vehicles Rules-Technical Standing Committee later considered the formulation of AIS-230 at its 56th meeting held on 7 May 2026, providing the technical foundation for regulatory implementation.
"The proposed framework is expected to improve vehicle situational awareness, facilitate timely safety warnings and strengthen the use of connected technologies for reducing road-accident risks," the Ministry added.
— ANI
Reader Comments
This is so heartwarming! ❤️ My mother visits Mumbai twice a year and she always gets confused at Dadar. Last time she was there, she told me about a kind uncle helping her find the Virar train. That must have been him! It's people like Narendra ji who make Mumbai the city it is - always someone willing to help. And the V2V communication news is also interesting, but honestly, this human touch is what we need in the meantime. Technology is great, but kindness is irreplaceable.
Respect for this man! Doing this for 4 years, every weekday from 9:30 to 11:30, before heading to his own job in Mulund. That's true dedication. But it also makes me wonder - why hasn't the railway department installed proper digital indicators yet? In 2024, we're still relying on a human being to do this job? The V2V communication technology mentioned in the article is great for roads, but what about OUR local trains? The authorities should take a cue from Mr. Patil's service and improve the basic infrastructure at Dadar station.
As a daily commuter from Borivali, I've seen Narendra sir many times! He's like a local celebrity now. Once I saw him helping an elderly couple with their luggage, showing them the correct platform, and even escorting them a bit. His patience is amazing. This is the real spirit of Mumbai - always helping each other. Meanwhile, the government is talking about V2V communication for cars, but let's not forget about the lakhs of people who depend on local trains every single day. Maybe some of that budget should go toward better signage and indicators at stations.
Wonderful story! It reminds me of the "Mumbai spirit" that we always hear about. But I have to ask - why is a citizen doing what the railway authorities
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