No gate, gateman at 305 level crossings in 8 N dists
Conveying a warning is all that authorities have done to prevent accidents at this unmanned level crossing on Jail Road in Lalmonirhat town. Two-thirds of over five hundred level crossings in eight northern districts are in similar condition. Photo: STAR
A staggering 305 of 525 level crossings on 540-kilometre rail tracks in eight northern districts under Lalmonirhat West Zone Railway Division have remained without gates and gatemen for long, exposing commuters and vehicles to accidents.
A train engine hit the car of State Minister for Mass and Primary education Motahar Hossain at Barokhata level crossing on Lalmonirhat-Burimari railway in Hatibandha upazila on October 6. He was luckily saved, but his gunman, personal secretary, an Awami League leader and a pedestrian were injured.
The accident occurred as there is no gate or gateman at the level crossing, only 30 metres from the state minister's village home, said Afzal Hossain, 60, a resident of Barokhata village in Hatibandha upazila.
"My mother lost her two legs as she was hit by a train at Jail Road level crossing in Lalmonirhat town on August 7 this year. Several other accidents took place there as there is no gate or gateman at this busy crossing used by different vehicles,” Jahedul Islam, 30, a resident of Chinipara village in Lalmonirhat municipality, said.
The same level crossing saw two other accidents on August 10 and September 21 this year.
On July 3 this year, a loaded truck collided with a train at Banvasa level crossing in Lalmonirhat municipality.
"Six people including a bus driver and a helper were killed as a passenger bus collided with a train at Mondolerhat level crossing in Lalmonirhat Sadar upazila in July 2006, as there was no gate and gateman there,” said Bulbul Ahmed, secretary of Lalmonirhat District Bus-minibus Workers union.
In absence of gates and gatemen at the level crossings, quite a few accidents occurred due to carelessness of pedestrians and drivers recently, said Lalmonirhat West Zone Railway Divisional Traffic Superintendent Mostafizur Rahman.
Of the 305 risky crossings, 125 are on roads used by heavy vehicles and 180 others are on roads used by light vehicles as well as non-motorised ones including rickshaws and manually driven vans.
Permanent railway staffs work as gatemen at only 85 of the 220 'safe' level crossings while semi-skilled locals, recruited on daily wage basis by the railway authorities, maintain 135 others, officials said.
Of the 305 unsafe crossings, 25 are in Lalmonirhat district, 30 in Kurigram, 45 in Rangpur, 55 in Bogra, 52 in Dinajpur, 36 in Gaibandha, 37 in Panchagarh and 25 in Thakurgaon district. Fifty-one trains including 10 intercity, 10 mail and 28 local passenger trains and three goods carrying ones run through these crossings regularly.
Officials of Lalmonirhat railway, however, said at least 102 of those unsafe level crossings are illegal as those were made when the Roads and Highways Department (RHD), Local Government Engineering Department (LGED), Zila Parishad and municipality authorities constructed roads across railway lines without taking permission from the railway authorities.
The authorities concerned of LGED, RHD and Zila Parishad are yet to take necessary steps regarding these level crossings although they were served with letters on several occasions, said Lalmonirhat West Zone Railway Divisional Engineer Asadul Haque.
According to railway law, all the expenditures for setting up gates and recruiting gatemen are responsibility of the departments that built the roads over the years, he said.
"It is essential to set up gates and recruit gatemen at least for 125 level crossings as vehicles move through them round the clock," said Lalmonirhat West Zone Railway Divisional Manager Abdul Hai.
"My office has already sent an estimated project profile to higher authorities of Bangladesh Railway to set up gates and recruit gatemen for those highly risky level crossings, but we are yet to get any response," he said.
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