Gory pictures to help curb track crossing

Three days after two teenagers died on tracks at Mankhurd while crossing tracks, the Central Railway has stepped up its effort to curb trespassing.

Three days after two teenagers died on tracks at Mankhurd while crossing tracks, the Central Railway has stepped up its effort to curb trespassing.

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It will use the ‘Wadala model’ at stations which sees many trespassing incidents.

In October, the CR displayed a three-panel photograph of a man being run over by a train while he was trespassing.

Through the gory images, the CR attempted to “play with the minds” of trespassers using architectural behaviour.

The panels showing the gruesome pictures will be placed at platforms and inside local trains to dissuade people from crossing track. The CR officials claim that the cases of accidents at Wadala have come down after the photographs have been displayed there. The officials have identified stations such as Mankhurd, Ghatkopar, Vikhroli, Kurla, Diva, Sion, Thane, Parel, Kalyan and Dadar which sees frequent trespassing. On an average, 10 people die on tracks every day. “We are in the process of creating posters and hoardings for these panels which will be displayed at these stations,” said S. Mudgerikar, chief PRO of Central Railway.

This idea was also presented to the World Bank during their recent visit to Mumbai, when they granted Rs 1,900 crore for MUTP phase-2 project.

“We can try using this model in other countries, if not to curb trespassing on tracks, but in reducing jaywalking on roads,” said a World Bank official.

Officials from the CR said the major drawback of this 'Wadala model' is that the images cannot be seen during night and most of the time trespassers tend to ignore it.