RailEnquiry

Chennai: The number of fatal road accidents might be on the rise but equally alarming are the deaths on railway tracks. The Government Railway Police (GRP) has identified 112 accident-prone spots along railway tracks across the state. At least, 5,465 people lost their lives on these tracks in the last two-and-half years. About 200 people were killed every month. The absence of manned level crossings, lack of facilities for safe movement of pedestrians and negligence on the part of people have been cited as reasons for the high number of rail track deaths.
    A first-of-its-kind study in recent years by the GRP found that the rail tracks in Chennai Egmore and Chennai Central sub-divisions have a high number of accident-prone spots. Chennai Central division, which predominantly covers north Chennai, has the highest number of such spots -- 23. A majority of deaths have also been reported from Korukkupet in north Chennai and Arakkonam, which fall within this range.
    While Chengalpet has five high-risk spots, Tambaram range has six. Both fall within the Egmore sub-division. Various forms of rail services, including the MRTS and the suburban trains, are the reasons for the higher number of accident-prone spots in Chennai.
    “There is a need for better management of level crossings, with adequate workforce in place, besides facilities exclusively for pedestrian movement,” said GRP DIG R Dhinakaran. People tend to walk on the level crossings, like they do on a road, he said. “They should know that trains cannot apply sudden brake like buses or other road vehicles. People chat on mobile phones while crossing and miscalculate the speed of fast approaching trains and lose their lives,” he said.
    A team of officials found that spots near Katpadi and Jolarpet in Coimbatore sub-division in the western belt are also prone to accidents. Apart from Vriddachalam and Trichy, the accident-prone spots on the outskirts of Madurai, such as Kudalnagar-Samayanallur, Tiruparankundram and Tirumangalam have been found to be equally risky.
    Taking serious note of poor visibility along the tracks, the GRP has suggested to the Southern Railway to light up the tracks. “We have also suggested that the loco pilots sound horn at these accident-prone spots,” Dhinakaran said. GRP is now holding awareness campaigns and distributing pamphlets near the level crossings to avert accidents. Rewards have also been announced for inspectors and sub-inspectors who help reduce accidents at these spots.
    Southern railway officials told TOI that 44 works of subways/bridges were under progress in the state, out of the sanctioned 159 till last year. The state has 1,294 manned and 892 unmanned crossings with Madurai division topping the list with 375. “The bridges and subways meant for public movement are not given due importance by the Centre. As chief minister J Jayalalithaa pointed out, the state is being neglected by the Centre when it comes to sanctioning funds for railway projects,” AIADMK parliamentary party leader M Thambidurai told TOI.