CR's new attempt to reduce death count

To dissuade people from crossing railway tracks, Central Railway officials decide to put up display boards listing details of number of deaths at every dangerous spot
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The drive against people crossing railway tracks might have yielded many arrests. But it has not diminished the number of deaths. In a bid to reduce the number of casualties, the railway officials now plan to put up boards on every dangerous spot indicating the number of deaths in those places.

In 2010, 427 persons and inn 2009 405 accidental deaths were reported from the city, Lonavala, Daund, Pimpri-Chinchwad, Kasarwadi and other areas. Assistant Commissioner (Security) A T Tayde from the Railway Protection Force, Central Railways said, "We have fined more than five thousand people on charges of crossing the railway tracks. We have collected a total amount of Rs 3 lakh in the form of fines from the offenders. In 2009, 2727 persons were fined."

Additional Superintendent of Railway Police (Pune Division) Dr Digambar Pradhan said, "We have identified dangerous spots on the railway tracks ufffd especially at places where the tracks curve ufffd where most number of deaths while crossing tracks have been reported. Boards will display number of deaths and appealing citizens not to cross railway tracks will be put up at these locations."

"Mostly, the compound wall or fencing is found broken at places where people find it easy to cross the railway tracks. These illegally created passageways will be sealed soon in an effort to reduce the number of deaths," Pradhan said.