Railway Dept. tells local bodies:

Install gates at unprotected railway crossings

by Ananda Kannangara

The Railways Department has called upon local bodies countrywide to install rail gates at all unprotected railway crossings in their areas to avoid trains colliding with vehicles.

The Railways Department issued this directive to officials of Pradeshiya Sabhas, Provincial Councils and Urban Councils following several trains colliding with vehicles from various parts of the country during the past few weeks.

Railways Department, Senior Superintendent, Vijaya Samarasinghe said considering the number of people being knocked down at unprotected railway crossings in the recent past, local bodies should take steps to install manually operated bamboo gates until permanent gates are installed.

Samarasinghe also referred to a recent accident at an unprotected railway crossing in Ambanpola, Kirimetiyawa where six people died after a trishaw collides with the Yal Devi express train bound for Vavuniya from Colombo.

According to residents of Ambanpola, the importance of installing a gate at this level crossing was brought to the notice of officials of the Railway Department and the Provincial Council several occasions, but to no avail. Samarasinghe said the Railway Department has also taken steps to install 500 gates at certain unprotected level crossings within the next six months.