- Railways has announced a set of safety measures to prevent tragedies at crossings across the country
- This comes after three students were killed when a school van carrying them was hit by a train in Tamil Nadu
- A 15-day safety inspection drive focusing on level crossing gates has been announced nationwide
A day after three students were killed and six others injured when a school van carrying them was hit by a train at a railway-level crossing in Tamil Nadu's Cuddalore, the Railways has announced a set of safety measures to prevent similar tragedies across the country.
Witnesses alleged that the gate was open when the train passed, raising concerns about operational negligence. Following a high-level meeting chaired by the Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, the ministry has rolled out 11 key measures for immediate implementation.
What are the key measures?
- CCTV cameras, supported by power backups via solar, UPS, and batteries, will be installed at all Level Crossing (LC) gates to gather real-time evidence.
- The threshold for interlocking gates will be lowered from 20,000 to 10,000 Train Vehicle Units (TVU), enabling them to function smoothly at high-speed crossings.
- Voice recordings from at least two non-interlocked gates per division will be randomly audited daily to ensure accountability and adherence to safety protocols.
- Speed breakers and warning signs at all LC gates will be regulated, with new designs to enhance visibility and compliance.
- RPF and Home Guard personnel will be deployed at conflict-prone LC gate areas where gatekeepers face pressure or resistance from the public.
- A Railway Protection Force (RPF) and Home Guard personnel will be deployed at the LC gates where gatekeepers face pressure or resistance from the public.
- Construction of Road Over Bridges (ROBs), Road Under Bridges (RUBs), and Limited Height Subways (LHS) will be accelerated to eliminate level crossings wherever feasible.
The Railways Ministry yesterday announced a 15-day safety inspection drive focusing on LC gates in block sections across India.
The railways said that a preliminary investigation has revealed that while the gatekeeper proceeded to close the gate, the van driver insisted on allowing the vehicle to cross, which "should not have been permitted".
A case of negligence has been registered against the gatekeeper; however, the exact sequence of events is under investigation.
