'No father should lose his child on a rly track'

Victim's dad is carrying out a feasibility study with professors of IIT and IIM, Railways and MMRDA to minimise railway accidents

Victim's dad is carrying out a feasibility study with professors of IIT and IIM, Railways and MMRDA to minimise railway accidents

Lest we forget: Ashank Desai visits the accident spot at Jogeshwari railway station regularly to study the hazards commuters face during peak hours.

Having lost his 20-year-old daughter in a train accident last year, Ashank Desai, founder of Mastek, one of India's top IT companies, has been brainstorming with professors of IIT and IIM to implement a feasible action plan to minimise railway accidents across Mumbai.

Desai's daughter Avanti was killed at the Jogeshwari level crossing on October 23. At the condolence ceremony, a number of her friends discussed the increase in railway accidents, and the lack of safety measures.

Since that day, Desai has dedicated his efforts to ensure that adequate safety measures and facilities are provided to avoid such accidents.

Said Desai, "It is very painful to see your child die in front of you. The exact cause of Avanti's accident is still a mystery. I do not want any other bread-winner of a family to die such a death."

Bridge needed

According to Desai, the only solution to minimise accidents at Jogeshwari is to start the construction of a proposed flyover at the earliest. The project is caught up in red tape and is pending for funds.

Meanwhile, Desai has started meeting senior railway and MMRDA officials to discuss the issue. "We cannot ensure zero accidents on railway tracks, but we can minimise the number. It should be a collective responsibility and the impossible can be made possible," he said.

Statistics reveal that on an average around six accidents are reported every month at the Jogeshwari level crossing.u00a0

WR drive

Meanwhile, Western Railway (WR) has launched a safety drive involving 80 RPF personnel and 25 other officers.
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In the last two days, almost 200 people have been caught and prosecuted for crossing tracks. Seven of them have been imprisoned.u00a0

The drive has been carried out at Dadar, Bandra, Andheri, Jogeshwari and Borivli, and will continue till February 28, said Shyam Sunder Gupta, chief PRO, WR.

Tragic end

Powai resident Avanti was working with Hill Road Media in Bandra. On October 23, she took a train from Bandra to Jogeshwari, to visit her grandmother. On the way, she spoke to her mother over the phone.

What happened next is still a mystery for the family. All that they learnt from the police was that a Virar-bound local train had hit Avanti on the head, killing her.

The BMM graduate from Wilson College had completed only a month at her first job.