‘Counselling,awareness helped reduce accidents

For reinforcement,repeated short message service (SMS) alerts were sent to drivers. Also,various other modes of media were used to spread the message. “It was a trial. Seeing good results,the division is planning to extend it to the coming months too. The number of accidents reported on unmanned level crossings was five in 2007,which has come down to zero in January 2010,” said Senior Divisional Commercial Manager Karan Singh.

At the crossings,documents of drivers were also checked,as there were instances where drivers had license for light vehicles but were using them for heavy vehicles,including buses.

There are 132 railway stations and 621 crossings (397 manned),in a distance of nearly four to five km under the division. “With the increase in traffic volume,11 unmanned level crossings were to be manned by this financial year. Of these,the division has already covered eight level crossings and the remaining three would be manned before April,” said Singh.