Death on track: 1,140 and counting

CHENNAI: An unidentified male was mowed down by a train while attempting to cross the railway track at Nungambakkam during the early hours on Monday. But he was just another number that was added to list of people run over by trains in Chennai, which had crossed 1140 in the last 15 months.

Most of them who lost their life on tracks are those commuting by suburban trains. With no time to waste on taking the overbridge, most commuters, perhaps in a hurry to reach their homes and workplaces, put their life at risk by crossing the tracks every day.

According to official data, more than 275 people were killed on Chennai Beach-Mount section, the highest in EMU sector, followed by 204 accidents between Pazhavanthangal and Maraimalai Nagar, falling under Tambaram Railway Police Station during the period of January 2009 and March 2010.

“Commuters are reluctant to use the foot over bridges and step on the track for convenience,” said a railway official adding that they at times go wrong in calculating the speed of the approaching train.

Talking over the mobile phone while crossing the tracks is another reason that many people fail to notice an approaching train. The data also points out that more men die on the tracks than women.

When contacted, a senior official of the Government Railway Police stated that the police were taking stock of the situation. “We are planning to carry out campaigns to educate people about the dangers of trespassing on the track,” the official said and added, “The police have also prepared a check list to find out the identity of the bodies, which have been so far unidentified.”