India railway failings 'like massacre'

[Ryan]

Lax safety standards on India's railway lines have caused thousands of deaths, a government committee has said, calling the deaths a "massacre".

The committee said 15,000 people are killed by trains every year trying to cross tracks that are not fenced off.

Almost half of the deaths occur in Mumbai, where the report said there were not enough pedestrian crossings.

The report criticised state-owned railway network India Railways for failing to implement safety measures.

It called for urgent investment to prevent the "unacceptable massacre".

The BBC's Rajesh Joshi in Delhi says that the report has come down heavily on Indian Railways. It argues that no civilised society can accept such high casualty levels.

The group of experts on the committee noted that Indian Railways is reluctant to acknowledge the deaths as train accidents.

But it has emphasised they were accidents and that they were caused by trains.

The government appointed the group of experts to review railway safety measures in the face of a growing number of casualties in recent years.

The committee, headed by one of the country's foremost scientists, Anil Kakodkar, says people cross railway tracks unlawfully because there are not enough foot bridges provided.

Another contributory factor is inadequate fencing adjacent to the tracks.

The committee has recommended that a high-level task force - involving state governments and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) - should be set up to address the issue.

BBC News - India railway failings 'like massacre'

 

[IndoUS]

Height of stupidity, why would someone cross the tracks when the train is coming. Second lets face these people who die are not innocent themselves they cross the tracks unlawfully then blame the Railway. If you are going to cross at least look both side to check no trains are coming.

 

[Ryan]

Height of stupidity, why would someone cross the tracks when the train is coming. Second lets face these people who die are not innocent themselves they cross the tracks unlawfully then blame the Railway. If you are going to cross at least look both side to check no trains are coming.

Although I feel sorry for your Indian compatriots who were killed in the train incidents, I am glad you are not one of Indian government officials. What you have said explains why "The group of experts on the committee noted that Indian Railways is reluctant to acknowledge the deaths as train accidents."

 

[illusion8]

If anyone trolls on this thread the definition of a low life would suit them perfectly, I happened to witness a real life train accident and it was the saddest thing I have ever seen.

 

[jayron]

Height of stupidity, why would someone cross the tracks when the train is coming. Second lets face these people who die are not innocent themselves they cross the tracks unlawfully then blame the Railway. If you are going to cross at least look both side to check no trains are coming.

This is the difference between us and the civilized world I guess. They are not youngsters trying to seek thrill but normal pedestrians. when there is no bridge for a mile, what will you do? walk a mile and then use the bridge or just cross the track ? Even if the people are ignorant, it is the duty government and of the railways to make sure there is no chance of people getting hurt. poor people's lives has no value in our country.

 

[Ryan]

If anyone trolls on this thread the definition of a low life would suit them perfectly, I happened to witness a real life train accident and it was the saddest thing I have ever seen.

If stopping from talking about the accidents could prevent the train tragic in India, I would have deleted this thread willingly.

 

[livingdead]

This is the difference between us and the civilized world I guess. They are not youngsters trying to seek thrill but normal pedestrians. when there is no bridge for a mile, what will you do? walk a mile and then use the bridge or just cross the track ? Even if the people are ignorant, it is the duty government and of the railways to make sure there is no chance of people getting hurt. poor people's lives has no value in our country.

Well, I am not poor, and I confess I have done such risky things in my life. I have seen educated people crossing railway track to go from one platform to other. Is is due to lack of access or due to mindset?

 

[Android]

If stopping from talking about the accidents could prevent the train tragic in India, I would have deleted this thread willingly.

even constantly talking about it will also not change anything

 

[livingdead]

If stopping from talking about the accidents could prevent the train tragic in India, I would have deleted this thread willingly.

Nope, the thread is for pakistanis and others. Indians very well know what goes on in India.
Fencing whole railway track is not possible in India, add to that the fact that, Indians like to break rules(quite nonchalantly) with least regards to one's own life.

 

[illusion8]

If stopping from talking about the accidents could prevent the train tragic in India, I would have deleted this thread willingly.

I don't mind it if the discussion is constructive.

 

[shiv]

This is the difference between us and the civilized world I guess. They are not youngsters trying to seek thrill but normal pedestrians. when there is no bridge for a mile, what will you do? walk a mile and then use the bridge or just cross the track ? Even if the people are ignorant, it is the duty government and of the railways to make sure there is no chance of people getting hurt. poor people's lives has no value in our country.

there was a railway line around 1 km behind our college campus. I could hear trains crossing from my hostel. So it is not as if our trains moves like a cat that nobody knows if there is any...

Also, the people using the unmanned crossings are the localites. They would obviously know when there is heavy traffic on that line and when there is none... Just being alert and careful can save their lives.

Duty of the govt ? Yes but what can you do when people will just uproot the iron railings and sell them in local market ?

 

[jayron]

Well, I am not poor, and I confess I have done such risky things in my life. I have seen educated people crossing railway track to go from one platform to other. Is is due to lack of access or due to mindset?

Its a mix of both. It is the duty of the government to not only provide the infrastructure but also to implement rules to keep the public safe. That's why there are governments.

 

[jayron]

there was a railway line around 1 km behind our college campus. I could hear trains crossing from my hostel. So it is not as if our trains moves like a cat that nobody knows if there is any...

Also, the people using the unmanned crossings are the localites. They would obviously know when there is heavy traffic on that line and when there is none... Just being alert and careful can save their lives.

Duty of the govt ? Yes but what can you do when people will just uproot the iron railings and sell them in local market ?

I am not blaming just the government. It is the mistake of the public as well. But the government can do a LOT more in preventing casualties. Educating the people about safety and civic responsibility being the most important of them.

 

[Dhruv V Singh]

Well this is surely a step forward. The committee was formed by the Indian Railways itself, hopefully we ll see some of the suggestions made in the report implemented.

Business Line : Industry & Economy / Logistics : Anil Kakodkar heads panel to review Railway safety

 

[Ryan]

there was a railway line around 1 km behind our college campus. I could hear trains crossing from my hostel. So it is not as if our trains moves like a cat that nobody knows if there is any...

Also, the people using the unmanned crossings are the localites. They would obviously know when there is heavy traffic on that line and when there is none... Just being alert and careful can save their lives.

Duty of the govt ? Yes but what can you do when people will just uproot the iron railings and sell them in local market ?

Ever heard of the rule of law? Charge those wrongdoers with endangering public safety and put them in jail like what China does.