DYFI had initiated the movement against inhuman conditions of suburban train travel in November 2004. The movement gathered momentum after the ‘Right to Travel Convention’  held on 11^th September, 2005. It was inaugurated by Com. Basudeb Acharia MP.  

The 13 months that have passed since then have been a period of continuous agitations and growing unity of the people on this issue. This period witnessed more than a hundred station side demonstrations in the Borivili-Virar stretch and several Dharnas at Churchgate in front of MRVC office. When we gave the call for Rail Satyagraha on 10^th December, the International Human Rights Day, more than 70 organizations extended their support. More than 30,000 people marched on to railway tracks that day. The administration sought to suppress this peaceful protest by resorting to lathi-charge and sending DYFI activists and other Satyagrahis to jail.

But the movement could not be suppressed; signature campaign, mass hunger strikes and other protest actions continued. 70 organizations formed Pravas Adhikaar Andolan Samiti under DYFI leadership. A delegation of the Samiti along with Com. Basudeb Acharia MP met the Railway minister Mr. Lalu Prasad Yadav at Delhi in March this year. He assured our delegation that the problem of suburban train travel in Borivli-Virar belt will be resolved on top priority. In his LokSabha speech at the end of the Railway Budget discussion he referred to the meeting with our delegation and repeated on the floor of the house, the assurances given to us.

Borivli-Virar track quadrupling work was restarted immediately after RailSatyagraha and 16 new train services were started in Andheri Virar sector after the discussions with Railway Minister. These gains became possible only because of the pressure of people’s agitations. But, Track quadrupling work has topped for many months now. After the first 16, there are no new trains. Criminal negligence towards local train travelers' trauma is continuing at Railway administration, Central Government and State Government levels. This state of affairs cannot be allowed to continue. We have to galvanize the people’s movement once again. That is why the 2^nd Right to Travel Convention is being held. 

The official policy is to give minimum facilities to us for extracting maximum profit. If we leave them alone, the ruling establishment will delay Borivili-Virar track quadrupling  project for many more years. But if we fight unitedly and democratically, the authorities are forced to bring changes. This is the experience of this movement till now. The ‘Right to Travel Movement’ has to be strengthened and widened. More citizens, institutions and organizations should be rallied in the movement.