Railways refuse to learn

One gate man had squatted in his cabin in a state of “stupor” and the other was missing from the site. The incident had created chaos at the level-crossing as Ganesh immersion processions had come to halt on the two sides of the gate. Constables from the Kasarwadi police chowki had to man the gate for over an hour after mandal workers requested them to do so.

The Deccan Queen had stopped right at the railway gate and its driver had gone to the gate man’s cabin only to find one of them unable to respond. The gate man was reportedly in a “sozzled” state.

On Sunday, divisional traffic manager Sanjay Tripathi had denied any such incident. He had said: “Even if the express train stops for five minutes, I get full details.”

However, Tripathi confirmed on Monday that the two gate men were not exchanging signals and “caution orders” had been issued to the Up and Down trains. The Deccan Queen was forced to halt at Pimpri and again at the Kasarwadi gate.

Friday’s incident came after the July 31 episode when gang men had substituted for gate men, resulting in a near tragedy.

Early this year, traffic constables had manned the level-crossing at Pimpri after the gate man had locked the gate and disappeared. He was apparently tired after continuously working for 36 hours. Two years back a gate man was forced to work for 24 hours at Kasarwadi. He too had left after locking the gate.

And the two gang men, who were suspended for the July 31 incident, were “not given any reason for their suspension” and they had resumed duties within three days.