Improve train safety to save passenger lives
The horrific death of a small child, who fell off a train compartment onto the tracks near Holenarasipura in Karnataka, is just one of many accidents that occur along the vast Indian Railways network. Probably the restless five-year-old slipped through the open door or vestibule space near the toilet when the mother turned away for a moment. Sadly, Yojith was found only 24 hours later, when he had almost bled to death. None of the co-passengers thought it fit to stop a small child wandering unattended towards the door. It only highlights the lack of safety on our trains, with the design being one of the main culprits. From the high entry steps to doors left open when the train is speeding to the lack of stability in the washroom and the ladder to the upper berth, the utility function is pretty low, and so is the safety factor.
The open coach door is probably the most dangerous of all these elements. It encourages people to sit on the steps, daredevilry in the form of selfies, and plain overcrowding. Our unreserved compartments are a spectacle, with passengers hanging out and riding atop the roof, literally journeying on a limb and a prayer. Passengers often slip between the train and platform while boarding and alighting, weighed down as they are with bags and generally in a hurry. Railway Board data tabled in Parliament show that from 2012 to 2021, 2,581 passengers died after getting trapped between the train and the platform—an average of more than 250 passengers a year—while 39,015 passengers died after falling from moving trains in the same period. There have also been instances of people being thrown out, most often women who resist molestation.
What ails this gargantuan public transport system which cannot ensure passenger safety? Is it unmanageable numbers or a lack of education and etiquette among the travelling public? The TTEs must prevent overcrowding and keep the doors locked, but that is easier said than done. Posting a few police personnel in unreserved compartments could enforce a sense of discipline among the public. While we can take heart from the fact that train services are improving, and so are the ergonomic elements, with the Vistadome and Vande Bharat trains lifting travel to a new level, it is apparent that they cater to the affluent classes. We need a design overhaul for the ‘cattle class’ compartments.