The Hindu : Kerala News : Railways on safety-improvement track

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Jul 19, 2004

Kerala

Kerala

Railways on safety-improvement track

By S. Anil Radhakrishnan

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, JULY 18. A four-pronged strategy, including improving safety at level-crossings and reducing fire hazards in trains, have been chalked out along with Rs. 767-crore safety-related works to further improve safety in the Thiruvananthapuram railway division during 2004-05.

The strategy also involves improvement of asset reliability and working environment of the employees. "Safety performance is being reviewed at all levels and corrective steps are being taken", the Divisional Railway Manager, G. Narayanan told The Hindu .

As part of improving safety, 26 unmanned level-crossings are to be manned and safety in 82 unmanned level-crossings is to be improved with the introduction of interlocking system. Of the 435 level-crossings in the division extending from Tirunelveli to Shornur, 168 are manned, 165 are manned without signals and 102 manned with signals. The 24 road-over-bridges in lieu of level-crossings are in various stages of construction and the aim is to eliminate busy level-crossings in a phased manner. Installing retro-reflective warning boards, improving visibility for road-users and improving the road surface, organising awareness camps and continuous whistling by the locomotives are to be taken up to ensure safety at the unmanned level-crossings.

A public announcement system has been introduced at the Killipalam level-crossing to inform the road-user about the train arrivals. The system has been successful and will be implemented in other places. Sensors are also to be installed at level-crossings so that the Station Masters would know whether the gates are closed before the signal is given.

Pointing out that the road-users were harassing gatekeepers at the level-crossings, Dr. Narayanan said that the Government had agreed to the Railway's proposal to post officials of the Motor Vehicles Department on deputation basis to book erring motorists. The Railway Protection Force personnel will be posted at vulnerable level-crossings to ensure the safety of gatekeepers.

As many as 40 busy level-crossings have been provided with floodlights at a cost of Rs. 10 lakhs each and another 30 are to be lit up soon. The inspection on tracks and coaches and underwater inspection have been taken up to detect cracks in the foundation of bridges. `Spurt cars' are to be introduced to detect cracks on the tracks.

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