Railway to instal gates at unprotected crossings

by Ananda KANNANGARA

The Railway Department yesterday pledged that all unprotected railway crossings countrywide will be installed with gates if necessary funds are released by Local Government authorities. According to Railway higher authorities over 200 railway crossings, especially in the rural areas will have to be installed with either rail gates or signal lights.

Speaking to the Sunday Observer Railway operating superintendent Vijaya Samarasinghe said, without the financial assistance granted by Provincial Councils and Pradeshiya Sabhas, the Railway Department has no funds to install rail gates or signal lights at railway crossings.

It is the responsibility of local bodies to look into the gravity of the train-vehicle accidents commonly occur at unprotected railway crossings. Referring to a few train-vehicle collisions occurred in the recent past in Kalutara, where a young company managing director was killed on the spot and an Indian national who was driving was badly injured in Liyanagemulla, Seeduwa where two persons were killed and in Negombo where five members in the same family were killed last week Samarasinghe said that installing rail gates at crossings is the best method to avert such accidents. According to top Railway authorities, a report has already been prepared on unguarded railway crossings where a number of accidents took place during the past few months.

He said unauthorised structures as well as overgrown shrubs and trees near crossings have also been identified as obstacles.