Title - Hitchhiking on the railway track: It can happen only in India

After having their fill of adrenaline rush at the Dudhsagar Falls, youth get on to the tracks to stop approaching trains instead of taking the 10-km trek to the nearest station. In the process, they endanger themselves and those on board

You’d think the guy standing with his arms outstretched before an approaching train near Dudhsagar Falls is an actor getting ready for some melodramaticshots.Buthe’snot.Neither is he a stuntman. And it’s not a real-life suicide bid either. But the deadly game continues with increasing regularity. It’s the hitchhiker’s latest crazy way to get back home.
After reading about Dudhsagar Fallsinblogsandbeingmesmerisedby trekkers’ pictures, many youngsters yearn to make the trip. So, when the falls come alive during the rains, hundreds of people reach Hubli , but get the first shock when they hear that there is no road to Dudhsagar and the only way to reach there is by train.
    Then comes the second shock: No train stops here, barring the Golden Chariot. And that train ride costs Rs 1.5 lakh. The only other option is to trekfor10kmfromtheneareststation.
    Unwilling to endure the hardship ofatrekandlookingforinstantgratification, many risk life and limb by jumping out of moving trains at the falls.Therailwaybridgebisectsthewaterfall in the middle and the ‘Jumping Jacks’ often land into a pond formed by the falls. Not every one has a safe landing, though. Injuries due to falls from trains are on the rise, with most victims coming from Bangalore.
The risk-taking does not end there. Afterhavingtheirfillofthefalls,many people try to stop approaching trains for a ride back. It’s as good as a suicide attempt. In one such incident, a student was hit by a train. Instead of a happy journey home, his friends had to take him to a hospital.
    Dr K Devanand, a physician from Bangalore who was in Dudhsagar during the recent holidays, recounts: “Around 15 of us boarded an express train at Dudhsagar and jumped from it. But, we had a tough time while returning. People were trying all kinds of tricks to board the train. Then, someone came up with the idea of stopping the train by standing in front of it. So, while one group was deciding whoitshouldbe,ayouthinhistwentiesvolunteered. As we heard the train approaching, this guy stood on the tracks and tried to stop it. The loco pilot probably tried to apply emergency brakes.Thoughthespeedreduced,theguywas knocked down by the engine before the others pulled him back.
    “The train eventually stopped at a distance and the other members of the team took the guy and boarded the train. Then, they started looking for a doctor to treat him. I, along with a few of my doctor friends who were part of our group, ensured that the guy was safe. Finally, we left him at Dharwad station.”
    Dr E Chandru, who was also at that spot, said, “I was shocked. The loco pilot and other railway officials I spoke to later said this was routine. Even if emergency brakes are applied, it could be fatal for the person. There’s also a risk involved for the commuters on the train.
    A loco pilot told BANGALORE MIRROR, “Such incidents are on the rise. Some of them may think stopping trains is an adventure, but nothing is worth such an adventure. We too face problems as there is a chance of the train derailing or we may have to face an inquiry as to why the train made an unscheduled stop. As this is a single track, sudden stopping of trains could affect other trains on the sector.”
‘THEY ARE RISKING LIVES’
    South Western Railways general manager Kuldeep Chaturvedi told BANGALORE MIRROR that this was a worrying trend. “We would be the first to construct a station to help tourists since it would mean revenue, albeit negligible. But one should understand that it is not possible to construct a platform there as it is a hill. This trend is worrying and all I can say is that peopleareriskingtheirliveswithsuchacrobatics.EvenIwantedtoseethefalls,butnevertook such a risk. Nor did I ask the loco pilot to stop. Instead, I enjoyed the beauty from the train. This is what others should also be doing.”