Railway track deaths: RPF launches awareness drive

Rattled by the growing number of deaths of commuters due to various mishaps on suburban railway network on Central Railway, the RPF has launched an awareness drive and also started prosecuting passengers for violation of provisions of Railways Act.
"We have adopted a two-pronged strategy of continuous and result-oriented 'passenger awareness campaigns' and drives (prosecution) under the penal provisions of the Railways Act, which would act as better deterrent," Central Railways stated in a release issued here today.
This drive was launched on December 9 with an objective to bring down accidental deaths and injury toll on the Mumbai suburban network, an official said.

At least two incidents of death of passengers after falling off overcrowded suburban trains between Diva and Kopar stations on Central line were reported recently.
"Under this drive, CR officials are invoking section 147 of Railways Act at different stations against commuters indulging in trespass and crossing of tracks despite the passenger awareness campaigns," the statement said.
Prosecution under section 147 entails imprisonment for a term which may extend upto six months, or with fine which may extend up to Rs 1,000, or with both.

"The (awareness) campaign and drive (prosecution) are targeted towards commuters indulging in trespass including track-crossing, rooftop and footboard travel, drunkenness and nuisance, endangering safety of railway passengers, carriage of bulky bags etc," it added.

Under the awareness drive, the RPF jawans are holding cautionary banners, posters, pamphlets while announcements are made with the help of loudhailers at Dombivli, Kalyan, Kurla, Dadar and CST railway stations.
"On the first day of the drive, a total of 341 commuters were prosecuted at different stations with Karjat topping the list with 38 prosecutions, followed by Dombivli, Kasara and Dadar as 27 commuters were prosecuted at each of these stations," the statement added.
Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu had ordered the Central Railway and Western Railway to set up committees to find out reasons behind accidental deaths after a youth fell off an overcrowded train and died in neighbouring Thane district, with the video of the incident going viral on social media.