Editorial
Too many unsafe level crossings
Corrective action brooks no delay
INCREDIBLE though it may sound, 75 out of 97 railway level crossings on Bangabandhu Bridge-Joydevpur railroad have no gates and gatemen! So, these crossings are veritable deathtraps for vehicles and pedestrians. Accidents at level crossings have claimed many lives ever since the route was opened. The problem is that there is nobody to attach due value to the lives of people using the level crossings.
Accidents at level crossings are taking place on a more or less regular basis, though there is no reason why the crossings should remain open or unguarded. The report published in this newspaper has made it amply clear that the railway authorities are not much concerned about keeping the level crossings safe for movement of pedestrians and vehicles. It is worrying to note that most of the gatemen are not regular staff of the railways. For, we heard many times in the past that the gateman was absent or sleeping when a mishap took place. It is obvious that the issue of manning the level crossings with trained and efficient personnel is still not high on the railways' agenda, not even after so many deaths under most unfortunate circumstances. Now the question is whether human life is such a cheap commodity that it admits of any casual approach.
A divisional engineer of the railway has stated that the department cannot afford to appoint such a large number of gatemen at the crossings. Besides there are no gates to the crossings. Why? If financial constraints are what he was referring to, then we have to conclude that the railway department has failed completely to arrange its priorities in right order. There cannot be any excuse for failing to eliminate dangerous situations that arise at the unguarded and open level crossings. If they want to seek people's help in manning the level crossings, they have to go beyond just talking about the matter.
Level crossings can not remain unguarded and without gates; it is the railway authorities that have to decide how they can ensure the safety of human lives. Talking about limitations and constraints is not enough.
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