Dangerous level crossings

A report published in this newspaper on Friday highlighted how 18 level crossings in Bogra district are without any gateman or cross bars to prevent movement of traffic over the tracks during train movement. The story quoted officials saying that acute manpower shortage is the primary cause of this dangerous condition. In the process, human lives are being put at great risk.

Locals have complained that already many have met tragic ends due to the lack of any safety precaution. One of these level crossings, at Celopara Horibashor area, is a location for movement of a large number of vehicles and thousands of school going children. No matter how much safety precaution is taken on their part, the onus lies with the authorities, and to that end they have failed.

Sources at the Government Railway Office have confirmed of accidents resulting in injury and death in the last few years. Our question is, why after all these accidents, for such an extended period of time, has nothing been done about the matter?

We have been told that tenders have been floated for the construction of cross bars and recruitment is in process. But, given that the situation is not new, it is unfathomable why nothing has yet been achieved to that end. Our story gave examples of deaths over a period of the last six years. We urge the railway authorities to prioritise the issue. It is primarily their responsibility to ensure safety of civilians at these level crossings; precautions taken by school children crossing the tracks cannot be our only guard against accidents.