Death on the rail tracks: Out of 114 dark spots identified across the state 33 are located in Bengaluru

Nischith N | NT

The state has been witnessing deaths near railway level-crossings and a recent survey by the Karnataka Railway Police has indicated that many of them happen due to factors such as poor lighting and prevalence of dark spots.

The survey has identified a total of 114 dark spots across the state and 33 are located in Bengaluru. In a recent incident an unwary pedestrian was run over by a train between Cox Town and Jeevanahalli. While the body was lying near the track, people were still seen crossing the railway line, unmindful of the dangers.

The dark spots are poorly lit and lack protective pedestrian gates, advance warning signs, bells and flashing lights.

The Karnataka Railways police and commuter organisations have been repeatedly requesting the South Western Railways (SWR) to undertake the task of installing LED street lights on such accidentprone stretches, but nothing has been done. In fact, the Karnataka Railway Police data conveys that unnatural deaths on the rail tracks have increased because of the SWR negligence.

In the last three years, the railway track in the Railway Police has registered 3,805 unnatural death cases across the state.

“Poorly-lit places near railway tracks pose a danger to pedestrians, especially women who do not use motorized forms of transport. Many of the deaths happen due to these dark spots. We have done a survey on the dark-spots across Karnataka and it was shocking to see the result,” Railway’s SP Siri Gowri told News Trail. The railway police has 18 Railway police stations and 25 out-posts across the state.

The Railway Police and Railway Protection Force have been engaged in ensuring the security of the passengers and other persons visiting the railway stations. The jurisdiction of the Railway Police spreads up to a distance of 3,089 km.

“The track from RV College towards Kengeri Railway station is not properly lit. If you are passing through them in a car, it is fine. But walking through them is not advisable. But SWR or any local body has not taking any action on this,” says Ranjeetha, a resident next to the railway track near Kengeri station.

The Railway Protection Force and the Government Railway Police keep warning and appealing people to not cross railway tracks on foot and use the foot-over bridges instead but figures show people ignore the warnings and also in some places there are no foot over bridges.

As the survey claims that in Bengaluru most of the accidents took place between Bengaluru City - Nayandahalli Railway Station, Nayandahalli - Kengeri Railway Station, Kengeri - Hejjala Railway Station, Hejjala - Bidadi Railway Station, Bidadi - Ramanagara Railway Station, Ramanagara -Channapatna Railway Station, Bengaluru City - Malleshwaram Railway Station, Malleshwaram - Yeshwanthpur Railway Station, Malleshwaram-Yeshwanthpur, Chikkabanavara – Soladevanahalli, Gollahalli – Doddabele, Doddabele - Muddalingana Halli, Lottegollahalli – Yelahanka, Rajanukunte – Doddaballapur, Rajanukunte – Doddaballapur and Thondebhavi – Gouribidnur.

“We have repeatedly alerted the SWR to take some action on this issue by fencing the place or installing surveillance. Some initiatives should be implemented in these places to restrict the public crossing the track. But nothing has been worked till date” Siri Gowri further added.

Out of 1,290 unnatural deaths reported in the year 2021, 1,121 re male and 168 are female. It is claimed that railway tracks have also become and easy place for the people wishing to commit suicide. “There are many places even we are aware of, but we need higher authority permission to act. This will be solved soon,” says a senior SWR official.

According to senior police officials, the railway authorities and the protection force do not have sufficient personnel or infrastructure to stop people from trespassing on railway tracks. Lack of infrastructure such as passenger foot-overbridges and underpasses as well as the extensive use of level crossings, especially within city limits, are some of the main reasons for trainrelated deaths, say railway experts.

Also, pedestrians and motorists feel that level crossings are very dangerous. There are more than 25 railway level crossing points in the city and many are surrounded by residential areas or slums.

The lack of road over bridges (ROB) or road under bridges (RUB) is not only a major problem in terms of safety but also hinders the movement of trains and road traffic. Also, the Bengaluru jurisdiction covers 1,193 km plus and it is claimed that it is impossible to build boundary walls along the full stretch.