KOCHI: A series of railway-related deaths in Kochi has yet again turned the spotlight on the growing safety concerns along railway tracks, with officials citing trespassing, suspected suicides and unsafe travel practices as the primary reasons behind the incidents.
On Friday, an unidentified man, believed to be between 40 and 50 years old, was killed after being hit by a train on the railway track between Ambattukavu and Companypady, near Aluva.
A case was registered at the Aluva East police station and the body has been kept at the Aluva District Hospital mortuary, pending identification. In another recent incident, a woman died last Tuesday after being struck by a train in Tripunithura, with a case registered by the Hill Palace police station.
Official Railways data, accessed by the TNIE, showed that 46 untoward incidents were reported between May and July this year under the jurisdictions of the Ernakulam South (ERS), Ernakulam North (ERN) and Aluva RPF posts. Of these, 19 deaths were suspected suicide incidents, 13 involved passengers falling from running trains, nine were trespassing incidents, and five were categorised as other unusual incidents.
RPF officials said suicide-related incidents account for the largest share of the cases reported.
“Trespassing cases are comparatively fewer. We also receive several cases involving passengers falling off moving trains while sitting or sleeping near the doorway. Suicide attempts are not confined to one location but occur at different places across the division,” an RPF official said.
According to officials, illegal track crossing continues despite repeated enforcement measures. “We have been conducting awareness campaigns in vulnerable areas and have installed warning boards with pictorial messages at known trespassing locations.
The Railways has also temporarily closed many unauthorised crossing points, particularly between Chalakudy and Kalamassery, including around Aluva Junction. These locations were identified because of frequent trespassing as well as anti-social activities,” the official said.
He added that many people continue to use railway tracks as shortcuts to save time despite the risks. “The Railways has initiated the process for comprehensive fencing across the division. The proposal has been approved, but the work will take time. Most accident-prone locations have gaps or unauthorised access points where people continue to enter the tracks,” he said.
Another RPF official said awareness programmes are regularly conducted in panchayats and communities located along railway tracks. “People living on either side of the tracks still use them as a pathway, particularly in urban areas where many attempt to cross the tracks instead of using authorised crossings. We continue to identify such locations and restrict free access,” the officer said.
The official also pointed out that operational changes have increased the risks. “Most trains now operate at average speeds of around 110 kmph. Curves are particularly vulnerable because pedestrians often notice an approaching train only at the last moment.
There are also cases of passengers, especially youngsters, travelling on footboards and meeting with fatal accidents. In many such cases, it becomes difficult to determine the exact cause of the incident,” he added.
Officials urged the public to avoid using railway tracks as walkways or shortcuts and to use only authorised crossings, stressing that a few minutes saved are never worth risking a life.