Death On Railway Tracks: ECoR Lines Up Steps To Curb Cases In Odisha

Bhubaneswar: The East Coast Railway (ECoR) has planned to implement several measures to prevent deaths on railway tracks at sensitive locations across three of its divisions in Odisha and Andhra Pradesh.

According to an ECoR spokesperson, trespassing is the prime factor to unusual incidents on railway tracks. Several deaths are being reported and many are getting injured after falling down from running trains and dashing with trains besides suicides and run over cases.

Vulnerable Stretches

The zonal railway has identified 110 vulnerable places in Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Jajpur-Keonjhar Road, Berhampur, Sambalpur, Titilagarh and Balangir in Odisha and Visakhapatnam, Srikakulam, Vizianagaram and Marripalem in Andhra Pradesh, according to areport in The New Indian Express.

The stretches between Jagannathpur and Berhampur, Golanthara and Berhampur, Retang and Bhubaneswar, Mancheswar and Bhubaneswar, Jajpur-Keonjhar Yard and Mancheswar Yard in Khurda division, Visakhapatnam and Gopalapatanam, Vizianagaram and Korukonda, Dusi and Srikakulam, Simhachalam and Gopalapatnam in Waltair division and Deogaon Road and Sainthala, Sambalpur and Hirakud, and Balangir and Loisinga stations in Sambalpur division have also been identified.

Safety Measures

The spokesperson informed that ECoR has decided to install CCTV cameras, construct boundary walls, provide fencing and obstruct paths by placing unused concrete sleepers at the locations.

Unauthorised trespassing will be monitored through CCTV cameras at Nirakarpur Yard, between Tilaru and Urlam, Deogaon Road-Sainthala, and Balangir and Loisinga stations.

“Wide trenches will also be constructed parallel to track to stop trespassing of animals, pedestrians and bikers. Barricades by rail sleepers and rail posts will be erected to prevent entry of two-wheelers,” he said.

Besides, limited height sub-ways will be constructed at some of the places for which consent has been received from the government, he added.

Security On Trains

Since falling down from trains is the second main contributory factor to untoward incidents, the spokesperson said trains passing through ECoR jurisdiction will be manned by security personnel.

The ECoR had recorded 2.8% decrease in deaths on tracks in 2019 as compared to 2018 and 40% decline in 2020 in comparison to the previous year.

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