Ensure security at 1,128 level crossings

A parliamentary body yesterday asked the LGED and the Roads and Highways Department to install bars and keep vigil at 1,128 level crossings built illegally across the country by them.

The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Railways at a meeting at the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban blamed the negligence of the Local Government Engineering Department and the RHD for accidents at level crossings.

Referring to the crash at Kaliganj in Jhenaidah on August 1 which claimed 11 lives as a train rammed a bus, the committee asked the railways ministry to write to the chiefs of the two departments on playing due role regarding the illegal level crossings, said meeting sources.

Top ministry officials informed the committee that the two departments had built the level crossings flouting railways laws.

The LGED and the RHD needed approval from the ministry to construct roads crossing railway tracks, but the two departments defied the rule, Railways Secretary Mohammad Abul Kalam Azad told the committee. Talking to The Daily Star, member of the parliamentary watchdog Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury said the two departments had to take responsibility to maintain those illegally built level crossings, including installing bars and bearing the costs of deploying gatemen as per the rail code.

But in most cases, the two offices have not acted accordingly, mentioned the ruling Awami League lawmaker.

“The committee therefore asked the ministry to inform top officials of the two departments reminding them of their responsibilities,” added Khalid.