Pedestrian bridges over railway tracks are stuck in official files and red tape even as trains continue to mow at least two persons in Delhi every day.
Till November 9, the railway police recorded 900 bodies found on tracks across Delhi. While 24 of these were either natural deaths or murders, the rest —876 — were hit by trains, police said.
The Delhi Police has now requested the divisional manager of northern railways (Delhi division) to construct foot overbridges over nine most accident-prone railway tracks in the capital.
The police had early this year conducted a survey to identify areas where the maximum number deaths took place over the years.
The Delhi Police’s letter says most railway tracks in Delhi are situated near railway colonies. In some areas, industrial belts and slums have developed near the tracks because of which there is heavy pedestrian movement in these areas.
The letter reads, “Some slum clusters have also mushroomed near the railway tracks and lots of people are residing in these clusters. The people living in these clusters, colonies and working in the industrial areas cross the railway tracks and are sometimes hit by the running trains….. An analysis has been made on the basis of the deaths occurring due to these train accidents and some of the black spots have been identified….”
Joint commissioner of police (New Delhi) Mukesh Meena confirmed that the police had written to the railways. “We identified the places and have taken this initiative to save lives. There should be a provision of FOBs for pedestrians because the total numbers of deaths is huge. Many times, the victims are children. At places where the construction of a bridge is not possible, an underpass can help save the loss of lives.”
{{/usCountry}}Joint commissioner of police (New Delhi) Mukesh Meena confirmed that the police had written to the railways. “We identified the places and have taken this initiative to save lives. There should be a provision of FOBs for pedestrians because the total numbers of deaths is huge. Many times, the victims are children. At places where the construction of a bridge is not possible, an underpass can help save the loss of lives.”
{{/usCountry}}Railway authorities said they were aware of the problem but maintained it was the state government’s job to construct such bridges at those places.
Delhi divisional railway manager (Northern railway) Anurag Sachan said, “We’re sending a reply to the police that the construction of FOBs is the responsibility of the state government. There are no unmanned crossings in Delhi. People shouldn’t cross tracks where they are not supposed to.”
Another killed with earphones on
New Delhi: An unidentified man in his mid-thirties was killed after a train ran over him while he was crossing the railway track with earphones plugged in his ears on Saturday.
Police said the deceased was hit by Vikramshila Superfast Express and was declared dead on spot.
Eyewitnesses told the police the victim had earphones in his ears at the time of the accident but a senior police officer said they did not find his mobile phone
or any earphones from the accident spot.
Eyewitnesses claim they screamed to alert the man about the approaching train. But he could not hear them. HTC