Editorial
Exposed level crossings
How long will these 'death-traps' be overlooked?
UNMANNED railway level crossings, where many fatal accidents took place over the years, still remain a major worry to both pedestrians and vehicles in eight northern districts, as 297 out of 415 crossings have no gates or gatemen! The news is a real shocker and an indicator of people's safety having little or no place in the railway managers' plans.
Keeping the railway crossing unguarded amounts to pushing people towards fatal accidents and no excuse for the failure to set up gates and employ gatemen is acceptable as these reflect gross neglect of duty and utter disregard for human life. Yet, that is what we have been watching over 540km of railway track in West Zone covering eight northern districts.
The report published in this newspaper yesterday makes it amply clear that there is no coordination between the railway department and other government agencies. The rules of the railway department state that it is the duty of the government departments in charge of constructing roads to bear the expenditures of setting up gates. But West Zone railway officials have complained that the departments concerned are neglecting the duty and the result is that there are so many unmanned level crossings on many busy railway routes. The railway officials have also pointed their fingers at financial constraints which prevent them from taking the safety measures at the crossings. Neither the railways nor roads and highway department can defend themselves by saying that funds are not available for making gates or appointing the gatemen. It seems the issue is not high on the railway department's agenda. Someone in authority must step in to fix the responsibility and act expeditiously to ameliorate the situation.
It is also disturbing to learn that only 29 out of the 118 level crossings in the zone, that are deemed safe, are run by the railway's own staff, the remaining ones being guarded by semi-skilled locals recruited by the railway on daily-wage basis. This again looks like a slipshod arrangement. The railway authorities have to take the matter a lot more seriously, considering the danger it poses to public and adopt all the measures needed to make the level crossings really safe.
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