Unprotected railway crossings spell doom

By Ananda KANNANGARA

A vehicle nearing an unprotected railway crossing

Unprotected level crossing around a bend A Train approaching an unprotected crossing

Road accidents are a bane to any society. It is the responsibility of all to take precautions to avoid them whenever possible

The State institutions too are bound to provide maximum security to people.

People cross the tracks carelessly

This brings to mind a story of an accident which occurred at Ahungalla two decades ago.

The students of a girls' school in Ahungalla was asked to write essays about the duties that have to be performed by Government Departments. They wrote essays on various departments. Among all, the classteacher was highly impressed with an essay, written by a student about an accident.

She had written about the Railway Department and highlighted that the particular accidents would have never had happened on that fateful day at the railway crossing, if the Railway Department had duly installed a gate.

The essay had mentioned that the accident occurred 25 years ago at an unprotected railway crossing at Ahungalle. Nearly 32 school children were killed following an express train collided with the school bus. There were no gates or signal lights at the crossing. It was later revealed that a brother of the girl was also killed in the accident.

This accident shows that if rail gates were installed at the crossing, the accident would have never happened. This incident prompted the then President Ranasinghe Premadasa to direct authorities to install even bamboo barriers as a temporary measure at unprotected railway crossings all over the country.

One wonders why the Railway Department cannot install gates or at least bamboo barriers at all unprotected level crossings for the benefit of motorists and people.

According to Railway Department, gates have been installed only at 458 level crossings in the country and 626 railway crossings have no gates or signal systems. They have only warning notice boards. As we know, It is very dangerous to travel or walk through such unprotected railway crossings, especially at night.

L.A.R. Rathnayake Wijaya Samarasinghe

The Sunday Observer last week visited several places to see unprotected railway crossings and also to speak with villagers about their safety. Our journey to several coastal areas in the Kalutara District was interesting as people made various comments on unprotected crossings and also about accidents.

A resident of Pothupitiya, 64-year old Sumanawathi Menike said although several requests were made to the Railway Department to install gates, the authorities have not taken any action up to date.

Sumanawathi appealed the Government to install at least bamboo barriers as a temporary measure to prevent accidents.

She said during the past six months four people were killed at the railway crossing.

We inquired the Railway Department about their inability of installing gates or signal lights at these level crossings.

According to Railway Superintendent Wijaya Samarasinghe, the responsibility of installing gates at level crossings should be taken by Pradeshiya Sabhas or Provincial Councils and not by the Railways Department.

He said people should complain about installing rail gates, signal lights or even bamboo barriers not to the Railway Department but to the officials of their area local bodies.

The Railway Department statistics reveal that out of 1,100 railway crossings in the country, over 600 have no gates and people call these level crossings as death traps.

Since we are aware that the Department is running at a loss due to high cost borne annually to import and maintain railway engines and carriages, our appeal is to the Department to install at least bamboo gates at these level crossings.

We would like to urge the Department of Railways and local bodies to get-together and take immediate measures to install gates at all unprotected level crossings to protect valuable lives.

A resident of Ahungalla, Gemunu Dharmasena too narrated the story of the train-bus accident that occurred 20 years ago at Ahungalla and requested President Mahinda Rajapaksa also to direct authorities to install bamboo barriers at all unprotected railway crossings until permanent gates are installed.

Railways Operating Superintendent, L.A.R. Rathnayake accepted that at least temporary bamboo gates should be installed at unprotected level crossings to prevent accidents.

He assured that the Department will install gates immediately with the assistance of local bodies and was hopeful that no accidents would take place in future.

He said during the past ten months over 30 motor vehicle and motorcycle accidents were reported at unprotected level crossings in the country and nearly 14 persons including two children were killed.

On our way to Kalutara, looking for unprotected railway crossings, we found nearly seven places between Panadura and Wadduwa without electric gates, signal lights or bamboo barriers.

Although these areas are thickly populated due to schools, tourist hotels and garment factories, it is pathetic that officials have never taken steps to install gates.

A resident at Thalpitiya, Wadduwa, 56-year old Sumanasiri Fernando said people in the area had sent hundreds of petitions to relevant officials in the Railway Department and local bodies, requesting them to install rail gates at these level crossings.

He lamented that during the past six months about eight people including a young couple were killed by trains, but no action has so far been taken by authorities to install gates.

A manager of a tourist hotel, Asanka Caldera said the management of his hotel installed a barrier and assigned three persons in the area at the crossing which leads to the hotel.

This immensely helps local and foreign tourists visiting the hotel.

The Railway Department says that 84 electric rail gates have been installed at main junctions in the country at a cost of Rs. 4.5 million each, while 125 mechanical gates are installed at level crossings at a cost of Rs. 550,000 each.

There are 35 farm type manually operated gates at several railway crossings. Sixty-four bells and signal lights have also been installed and each cost about Rs. 150,000 to Rs. 180,000. It is also reported that some Provincial Councils have already installed about 100 bamboo barriers.

A resident of Kelaniya, Gunasiri Vithanage said that there are about four unprotected railway crossings between Kelaniya and Wanawasala Railway Stations and several requests were made to authorities to install barriers. He proposed the Government to direct business enterprises to install at least bamboo barriers in their respective areas as it will be a helping hand to the Railway Department and local bodies.

He said even at present many industrialists and tourist hotels which are located near railway crossings deploy their own workers to operate barriers.

If such a scheme is implemented forthwith, not a single accident would take place at railway crossings in future.