Title - Railway to expedite RUB at train-mini bus accident spot

MANGALORE: The accident involving a coal-laden goods train and mini-bus at an unauthorized and unmanned level crossing at Kemajur on the Adyar-Neermarga Road on Sunday evoked strong public protest here on Monday. Residents of villages in and around the accident site staged a sit-in on the railway track when Nalin Kumar Kateel, Dakshina Kannada MP, and Rakesh Gupta, additional divisional railway manager, Mysore division visited the spot.Taking note of the seriousness of the issue, Rakesh Gupta at meeting later on agreed to expedite the process of constructing a rail under bridge (RUB) at the spot.Nalin said he would impress on the state government to bear half of the estimated cost of Rs 92 lakh needed to construct the RUB, while the local stakeholders will bear the rest.The MP assured to allocate Rs 10 lakh from the MP local area development fund to help kick start the process.Incidentally, the earlier estimate for the RUB drawn up in two-years ago, when a motorcyclist had died in a similar accident was Rs 60 lakh.

Ruing the fact that the RUB project had never taken off despite importance of the project and consistent follow up, Nalin told TOI that it was decided at the meeting to construct humps on either side of road leading to the track and also display statutory warning boards to inform motorists of the railway track ahead.

The railway has accorded permission to local authorities to clear the foliage on its property or the land adjacent to the track to ensure better visibility of the track for the motorists using the stretch.

In addition, the local gram panchayat will take steps to appoint a person to double up as an impromptu level crossing attendant. These measures will be taken up at the earliest and continue till such time that the work on the RUB is not completed, Nalin said.

Noting that there are 17 such unmanned railway crossing in the district, Nalin said the official also visited the nearby Farangipete RUB.

Observing that the existing RUB there is not scientifically designed and prone to water logging in monsoon, Nalin said the railways have agreed to set right the flaw in the approach road leading to the RUB. Till such time, people will be allowed to use an adjacent unmanned level crossing, he said.