Rail tracks near houses become death-zones

HYDERABAD: It was around 2.30 p.m on Sunday when 35-year-old Jagdish Naik was crossing the railway tracks holding hands of his two children, even as the gate closed for the local train coming from Khairatabad towards Lakdi-ka-pul. “It is easy to cross the tracks even after the gate closes as there is no one to stop us. A number of people do the same,” said Jagadish nonchalantly. Similar incidents take place at other places where the railway track passes near residential areas.  The recent spate of deaths while crossing tracks has brought into focus the lack of measures to alert and stop pedestrians and commuters from indulging in the dangerous activity. According to railway police, Falaknuma in Kacheguda circle and Necklace road station are the most dangerous death spots.While there is no convincing reason as to how a person fails to take notice of an approaching train, statistics available with railway police show hundreds of people die every year while crossing tracks in the twin cities. 280 people have been killed this year itself. On Saturday itself three people died while crossing the tracks in three different areas. One of them was G Lakshmiah (62) a retired employee who was crossing the tracks after offering prayers to the Khairatabad Ganesh. “Even as the gate closes, no one is ready to wait for the train to pass. With the road leading to the Ganesh idol, heavy rush and congestion takes place at this place. Commuters are not hesitating to cross the tracks dangerously even as the train is approaching,” said a local merchant Rajaiah. He added police, Ganesh organisers and railway police should post security staff to alert devotees during the festive season. Dr M Kantha Rao, superintendent of police (Railways) said the problem is more in thickly populated areas close to railway tracks. “People are always in a hurry and feel they can cross the track anytime. We have identified various sensitive locations and written to the Railway authorities to set up safety measures near residential areas,” he said. Officials have identified various spots as ‘accident prone’. In Secunderabad circle, there are three tracks from Secunderabad to Medchal, Aler and Miryalaguda. In Kacheguda circle, it is from Kacheguda up to Kurnool and in Hyderabad circle from Hyderabad to Tandoor.