MYSURU: Despite repeated warnings from the railway department on the precautions to be taken while crossing the railway lanes or boarding and deboarding from the moving trains, incidents of passengers being injured or killed in accidents are being reported regularly.
As per the reports of the railway department, 309 people have lost their lives in the last five years by coming under the wheels of the trains in the state.
As per the recent statistics from the railway department, a total of 89 persons have lost their lives in 2019-20, while 44 persons in 2020-21, 37 in 2021-22, 71 in 2022-23 and 68 in 2023-24 in the state. These victims have accidently come under the wheels of the moving trains at railway stations and at the level crossings and have lost their lives.
A senior railway official told The New Indian Express that the railway officials and staff will be regularly alerting the passengers and the general public on the precautions needed to be adopted while crossing the train tracks.
“We always appeal to the passengers to cross the train tracks using a footbridge or underpass or at a designated pedestrian railway crossings. Crossing anywhere else is illegal and extremely dangerous. Compensation will be awarded to the victims by the Railway Claims Tribunal,” the official said.
Most of the injuries or deaths happen when the passengers who will be in a hurry to board or deboard a moving train slip after losing balance and come under the wheels of the trains. In order to prevent such incidents, the Railway Protection Force (RPF) and Government Railway Police (GRP) will be constantly monitoring the stations. In 2022 alone, the RPF attached to South Western Railway (SWR) personnel have saved lives of 852 passengers by putting themselves at risk.
HK Chethan, a techie from Bengaluru who regularly travels in trains, told TNIE that the railway authorities should adopt the model of the Mumbai suburban railway to reduce deaths on tracks.
“They have replaced text-based warning signs to photographs, trains honking at the trespassing points and to ensure passengers know the correct speed of the approaching trains, yellow bright stripes are painted on tracks at regular intervals. Railway authorities should adopt more innovative methods and deploy more men at railway stations to prevent tragedies,” he said.