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Hundreds killed each year on tracks
Tragically, 718 people have died in train accidents in the past three years – the most this year even though the tracks were virtually bare of activity for months during the coronavirus lockdown.
Most deaths are classified by the Department of Railways as suicides or accidents occurring as a result of trespass on rail tracks.
The Sunday Times obtained the details through a Right to Information (RTI) request.
There were 230 deaths due to train accidents in 2018 and 215 deaths in 2019. Fatalities have risen significantly this year – 273 up to August 10, a disturbing statistic given that most train travel was cancelled for almost three months due to the islandwide COVID-19 lockdown.
Of the 230 deaths and 477 cases of injury from 1,456 train accidents in 2018, 212 fatalities were classified as suicides or due to trespass on tracks. The vast majority of victims (167) were male. In 2018, level crossing accidents have caused 13 deaths and 69 cases of injury. Five people lost their lives falling off trains. In 2019, there were 215 deaths and 369 injuries coming from 1,385 train accidents. All but 15 of the deaths were classified as suicides/trespass on tracks. A further 10 deaths came from level crossing accidents, and five more from 76 cases of people falling off trains.
In 2020, meanwhile 107 deaths have been recorded in train accidents while 166 other deaths are classified as suicides. Other statistics are still being compiled.
Derailments are frequent although none have resulted in death or injury. In both 2018 and 2019 there were about 112 derailments. Last year there were six collisions between trains but with no harm suffered by passengers while the year before there was one collision, resulting in 32 injuries.
The department is installing bell-and-light warning systems at level crossings that do not have gates to minimise accidents but General Manager of Railways Dilantha Fernando says the job will not be completed until 2023.
“Until such systems are in place, we have asked the police to be deployed at level crossings which do not have the warning system. The police are withdrawn from a crossing after the system is installed,” he said.
The department could not afford to install gates at every level crossing as it required employing people to work them, Mr. Fernando said. “We need three persons to man a level crossing at a single line, six if it’s a double line. The salary of a gate-keeper is Rs 50,000 and we don’t have the resources to employ that many.”
The Railway GM argued that most train accidents occurred due to carelessness because motorists and pedestrians were not obeying the bell-and-light warnings at level crossings.
In three of the most high-profile recent accidents, it was found that motorists had driven onto the level crossings even while the warning bell was ringing and the lights were flashing red. Different level crossings presented varied problems for motorists, Mr. Fernando added.
“On the Northern Line for example, the line is straight and clear and the trains can go at up to 100km per hour,” he said.
“Often, on this line, drivers miscalculate how fast the train is approaching and believe they can cross the tracks before it gets there – they put the vehicle onto the tracks even when the bell-and-light system is warning them not to do so. By the time they realise their error, it is often too late.”
The Coastal Line presented another set of problems with its many bends. “Motorists and even pedestrians can’t see the train because unauthorised structures have been put up next to the rail tracks. This is a cause for accidents. We have initiated legal action to remove such structures but it is a lengthy process,” Mr. Fernando noted.
He appealed to people not to trespass onto tracks. “We have even fined people caught doing so but many still do it. This is a risk that is not worth taking. While warning systems must be in place, we also need a change of attitude among the public to minimise such incidents,” the Railways chief insisted.