Track deaths on the rise in Chennai

A 25-year-old man, identified as Chandrasekhar of T Nagar, and another unidentified person in his 20s were run over on the down line (towards Tambaram) at 14/11km between Saidapet and Guindy stations around 4.30 am. 

Though the cause of the accident has yet to be conclusively established, RPF (Railway Protection Force), in its preliminary inquiry, has found it to be a case of trespass. The victims were suspected to have trespassed, ostensibly, to cross the tracks. 

Profile of the victims and timing of the train have ruled out the case of area residents straying on to the tracks to relieve themselves or passengers falling from the trains as the first commercial run on Beach – Tambaram segment begins only at quarter past 4am. However, RPF official’s privy to the investigation admitted that trains start moving half an hour ahead of the first service from either end. 

With morning’s double death, the number of trespass deaths has reached 581 in Chennai Railway Division, which had recorded 914 and 782 trespass deaths in 2017 and 2016, respectively. Alarmingly, at least two dozen people have died “falling from trains” and 130 got killed on tracks (trespass) since June alone. This, despite railway authorities claiming to have stepped up vigil and raised more awareness among people since the tragedy reported at St Thomas Mount in July last. Seven people were killed in two different accidents in 12 hours from the night of July 23, including the death of five passengers who hit the infringing concrete fence along platform no 4 and fell from the moving train while travelling on footboard. 

Railway officials requesting anonymity conceded that the accident reported this morning was the most common of all with reckless people trespassing in to fast lines. Chennai – Arakkonam and Chennai – Gummidipoondi was most prone to such trespass deaths owing to inadequacy of railway subways and bridges.