New Delhi, 26 March (H.S.):

The Indian Railways has announced a mission‑mode drive to end fatal accidents that occur when people cross railway tracks on foot. Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw chaired a workshop in New Delhi on Thursday with senior officials and issued comprehensive directions to accelerate the construction of safe underpasses.

Vaishnaw said that in areas where a residential settlement lies on one side of the tracks and fields schools graveyards or other essential destinations lie on the other side special footbridges or subways will be built so that people can cross safely and without hassle. The objective of these structures is to provide the general public with secure and convenient passage while preventing them from stepping onto the rails.

Officials have been instructed that the design of the subways must be user‑friendly so that people feel no hesitation in using them. The footbridges will be constructed in such a way that people can move easily on foot as well as on bicycles and two‑wheelers and carry necessary items with them. The Railways expects this initiative to be life‑saving for large sections of the population living near rail corridors.

As per the plan the structural framework of the subways will be fabricated off‑site and then brought to the location for assembly. During installation the railway will impose a “block” on the track during which the rails will be cut and the prefab footbridge installed all within a window of just 12 hours after which the track and the subway will be opened for use.

The minister also directed that the design of the subways should be able to withstand problems such as waterlogging and other weather‑related issues. The overall arrangement must remain effective and durable over the long term. Vaishnaw has asked officials to work towards ensuring a permanent solution to the problem of unsafe level crossings within the next five to six years.

This decision is the outcome of several days of discussions and consultations with railway officers. The Railways Ministry believes that only sensitive and practical solutions can provide a lasting fix to the everyday challenges faced by ordinary citizens who depend on these crossings.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar