TIRUCHY: With attempts by miscreants to derail trains by placing obstacles on railway tracks continuing despite complaints, loco pilots demand more stringent punishment on such offenders, like increasing their prison term or at least that the convicts serve their sentence in full.
Southern Railway (SR) had this month alone reported two such attempts to derail trains, both of them in Tamil Nadu. "In many such cases, the alertness of the loco pilots helped the railway. If such obstacles were placed on a bend, it may fall out of the loco pilot’s view.
Similarly, some obstacles may not be visible at night. The pilot may notice it only when the train nears the obstacle. In such cases, the pilots are helpless to a large extent. Therefore, the railway has to ensure that at least a ten-year imprisonment term is imposed on those engaging in such offences as they put the lives of thousands of passengers at risk," said R Elangovan, a retired loco pilot with 39 years of experience.
According to the RPF, the offenders are booked under Section 150 (maliciously wrecking or attempting to wreck a train) of the Railways Act, 1989. This can invite a life imprisonment term or rigorous imprisonment for a term which may extend to ten years. Loco pilots, however, say those convicted under the Act come out on bail within a year or two of serving their sentence.
A senior loco pilot said, “I have even seen children placing small materials like stones and coins on the tracks out of curiosity. Though it may not cause a major accident, such materials can lead to safety issues. We have to educate them about its consequences. I have also seen people drinking at vacant plots near the tracks. After they get drunk, they may place some obstacles on the tracks.
If we ensure harsher punishment, especially by increasing the imprisonment term, such an offence would not be committed.” When taking up the issue with Southern Railway, its officials informed that patrolling and awareness have been increased to curb such offences. Stricter action will be taken on the offenders, they added.