The Sambalpur Railway Division of East Coast Railway (ECoR) will pay compensation to the next of kin of 14 persons who had died in a mishap at an unmanned level crossing in Kharipali two years ago.
On the basis of the directive issued by the Orissa High Court, the Division will pay the compensation amounting to `77.44 lakh to family members of the deceased as well as those injured in the mishap.In December last year, the High Court had rejected the petition of the Railways seeking more time for compliance of its order. Later, petitioner Prabir Das, activist and advocate, had filed a contempt petition. The ECoR had, on March 21, issued the final order for payment of the compensation.
The High Court, in its direction, had also asked the Railway authorities and the State administration to act in right earnest to complete construction of road over-bridges and under-passes and remove all un-manned level crossings within six months to eliminate recurrence of such mishaps.
The court had also directed initiation of several precautionary measures at the unmanned crossings apart from extensive campaigning in the adjoining villages by the Railway authorities on the danger of crossing a railway line when a train is approaching