Drives, awareness campaigns fail to curb railway track deaths

The number of track deaths in Mumbai does not seem to be falling even though the Railway Protection Force (RPF) claim they conduct routine drives at troubled spots.

The number of track deaths in Mumbai does not seem to be falling even though the Railway Protection Force (RPF) claim they conduct routine drives at troubled spots.

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Alok Bohra, senior deputy security commissioner, Central Railway (CR) said, "We have been spreading awareness among youngsters by conducting sessions in schools and colleges. The figures show that those caught for trespassing has fallen."

However, statistics show that the number of track deaths has not come down.

Officials have identified several spots on all lines- central, (main and harbour) and western- where trespassers are maximum. These places have sprawling slum pockets along the railway tracks.

The highly-prone spots are the Sion-Kurla area and the area near Kanjurmarg station on the CR main line.

Other areas include the Wadala-Mahim, Kurla-Chembur on the harbour line and certain spots on the western line.

Tukaram Shinde, senior inspector, Andheri GRP said, "Though police are taking all possible steps to curb trespassing, people need to act responsibly."

Woman assaulted
In another incident, Mohammad Hussain Shokat Khan, 22, assaulted a woman traffic constable, Sushma Shinde, 25, after she asked him to take off his earphones and cross the road.

Khan abused and pushed her, and she fell and injured her wrist. Shinde's colleagues, posted nearby, caught Khan who was later booked by the Nagpada police.