CHENNAI: Even as Southern Railway officials continue to claim there are no deviations in safety parameters with respect to distance between tracks and permanent structures in Chennai suburban network, RTI data obtained by Express reveals there were infringements at 21 locations on the suburban routes.
While Railway Board safety norms mandate that the distance between the centre of track and a permanent structure should be 2.36 metres, Chennai division has identified deviations at 21 locations in suburban lines where the distance was between 2.24 to 2.29 metres. Infringements along the track were mostly found at foot over bridge and road over bridges at Avadi, Ambattur, Kadambathur, Basin Bridge, Park, Fort, Minjur and Ponneri stations.
Shockingly, at St. Thomas Mount station where seven footboard travellers of suburban trains died in July this year after hitting a concrete wall, the distance between centre of track and the wall was only 2.24 metres. This means, a 12 cm gap between concrete wall and tracks was not provided by railways, revealed the RTI reply given by Senior divisional Engineer of Chennai division.
While the RTI data debunked the railways argument that the accident at St. Thomas Mount was a result of footboard travel, railways said that infringements at seven places in Chennai Beach-Tambaram section were removed.
On measures taken to rectify the violations in Chennai-Arakkonam route, railways said it has plans to demolish a bridge in Chennai-Basin Bridge section and proposed to rebuild the foot over bridge (FOB) at Avadi station, as the pillar of FOB located is less than 2.36 metres distance from the centre of track. Similarly, two foot over bridges are proposed to be redeveloped to increase the safe distance at Minjur and Ponneri stations. In Chennai Fort-Egmore section, the Park Town MRTS building and road over bridge are also proposed for modification.
However, in Chennai-Gudur section, a road over bridge on Buckingham Canal between Basin Bridge and Korukkupet where the non-compliance was found, railways have imposed a speed restriction of 30 kmph.
K Baskar, a member of Divisional Rail Users Consultative Committee (DRUCC), Chennai, wondered how foot over bridges and other engineering structures were allowed in violation of safety parameters.
“There is visible failure on the part of railways in supervising the engineering works. Railways should rectify the errors at the earliest,” he said. Despite repeated attempts, Chennai divisional railway manager Naveen Gulati could not be reached.
Improving safety
A minor bridge to be demolished near Basin Bridge
FOB at Avadi to be rebuilt
FOB at Minjur and Ponneri to be upgraded
Reconstruction of FOB at Ambattur, Kadambathur
Park Town MRTS building to be modified
Road over bridge at Park town to be modified
Temporary and permanent speed restrictions imposed at 13 locations
Fact file
Distance between centre of track and a permanent structure should be 2.36 metres
The distance is only 2.24 metres at St Thomas Mount station
Railways found deviations on engineering constructions at 21 spots in suburban section where the distance was 2.24 to 2.29 meters; Chennai to Arakkonam - 8, Chennai to Tambaram - 10, Chennai to Gummidipoondi - 3
Infringements removed at 7 places in Chennai - Tambaram section
Deviations found at Avadi, Ambattur, Kadambathr, Park Town, Basin Bridge, Basin Bridge-Korukkupet, Minjur and Ponneri mostly in foot-overbridge and road- overbridge.