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No lessons learnt from Masaipet
Come January 24, it will be six months since the Masaipet tragedy that shook the newly-formed state of Telangana claiming lives of nearly 20 school-going children. Six months have elapsed and all promises of erecting gates at all level crossings are moving at snail’s pace.
After the train-school bus collision at Masaipet level crossing, the cash-strapped Indian Railways has been able to place safety measures only at seven out of the 131 unmanned level crossings in Telangana
Hyderabad: Come January 24, it will be six months since the Masaipet tragedy that shook the newly-formed state of Telangana claiming lives of nearly 20 school-going children. Six months have elapsed and all promises of erecting gates at all level crossings are moving at snail’s pace. Only seven out of 131 unmanned level crossings have been upgraded with proper safety measures in the Hyderabad and Secunderabad divisions.
SCR authorities went into hyperactive mode soon after the accident promising upgradation of all the 640 unmanned level crossings by March 2017. Even the state government assured public all steps to secure railway crossings in Telangana. But six months later it appears that the government as well as the railways seems to have forgotten the urgency.
SCR Mazdoor Union leaders informed The Hans India that construction of one gated railway crossing would cost the railways anywhere between Rs 35 and Rs 50 lakh, including installing signal equipment and linking telephone lines, constructing lifting barriers as well as a room to house related equipment and system. Another Rs 20 lakh expenditure would be incurred on salaries of gatemen and support staff every year.
The total number of unmanned crossings is well over 550 under SCR limits, including over 100 each in the Guntakal and Guntur divisions besides a good number in the Vijayawada and Nanded divisions. Upgrading all unmanned level crossings into gated ones within the next two years is a herculean task for railways considering budgetary constraints involved, they felt. Railway union leaders say that the target can be achieved if the MPs of respective regions make use of the MP Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS) funds but so far no one has come forward.
However, railway authorities claim that they had posted ‘gate mitras’ or trackmen at all the 560 odd unmanned level crossings in SCR limits, including Telangana. These men were provided with retro-reflective jackets and red flags. They alert road users about the approaching trains. At high-density road traffic flow, gate mitras are on the round-the-clock duty, while at low-density traffic they are on day duty. But experts point out that these are only stop-gap measures and not entirely foolproof.
By:Mahesh Avadhutha
