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MUMBAI: An analysis carried out by the Central Railway to identify stretches with maximum deaths from track crossing and take steps to prevent them has revealed 11 hotspots. Between January and September 2022, 113 casualties were reported in these hotspots.
Based on findings of the analysis, the CR has proposed new boundary walls, fencing and foot over-bridges (FOBs).
The study points out that despite availability of infrastructure at some of the locations, people do not use it or walls have been broken down to use the gaps to access railway tracks.
Track crossing, or trespassing on railway property as it is officially called, is a leading cause of casualties on the railway network serving the city and its vicinity every year. As many as 1,585 casualties, caused by various factors that included trespassing, falling out of locals, hitting railway poles, electrocution and suicides, were reported in the Mumbai division of the CR in 2022.
The analysis on trespassing hot spots was carried out by a team of CR experts. There were two hot spots between Kurla and Vidyavihar and one each between Tilak Nagar and Chembur, Chembur and Govandi, Mankhurd and Vashi, Wadala and King’s Circle, Wadala and Ravli cabin, Kalyan and Thakurli, and Ghatkopar and Vikhroli, besides one each at Kopar and Thakurli.
The analysis shows that an FOB exists between Kurla and Vidyavihar but is not being used by commuters. FOBs exist at Kopar and Thakurli, too, but these stretches require a boundary wall to prevent casualties. A boundary wall is also required in the Mankhurd-Vashi belt, which has heavy encroachments on railway land.
Boundary walls have been broken down and the gaps are used as short-cut in some parts of the Wadala-King’s Circle stretch and Wadala-Ravli cabin stretch. The analysis highlights the need for wall repairs.
Four new FOBs have been proposed in the Tilak Nagar-Chembur, Chembur-Govandi, Wadala-Ravli cabin and Kalyan-Thakurli stretches.
“Fourteen FOBs were planned to counter trespassing in 2023-24 and work is in progress on eight FOBs. More than 100 escalators and 56 lifts have already been provided in the Mumbai division. Twenty escalators and 20 lifts are planned in 2022-2023 to reduce trespassing,” said a CR official.
The Railway Protection Force (RPF) prosecuted more than 5,500 offenders last year. The Government Railway Police (GRP) has been registering FIRs against commuters killed while crossing tracks.
A committee, including divisional railway managers, the inspector general of RPF and a state government official, has been formed at the zonal level, to achieve the target of ‘zero deaths’ on the railways.
Similarly, committees have been formed at divisional levels as well.
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