Vande Bharat accident: RPF takes steps to avoid repeat incidents of train-cattle collisions

Mumbai: Western Railway’s Railway Protection Force (RPF) is entrusted with ensuring the safety and security of passengers and railways property. Seeing a disturbing trend of cattle owners/cattle grazers letting loose their cattle on railway land and tracks, Western Railway’s RPF of Mumbai Division has taken several steps for the prevention of cattle collision cases.

In the recent past, Mumbai Central – Gandhinagar – Capital Vande Bharat Express has collided with cattles, damaging the train and killing the animal.

According to Sumit Thakur, Chief Public Relations Officer of Western Railway, such instances of Cattle-Run Over have adversely affected rail operations, increasing the possibility of rail accidents, including derailments. This also endangers the safety of passengers and may lead to disruption of rail traffic and loss to rail property, etc.

For the prevention of such cases in the future, RPF Mumbai Division has identified various vulnerable locations. The RPF has carried out frequent awareness and sensitization campaigns at all these locations.

In 2022, RPF has so far conducted 1,023 awareness campaigns at vulnerable locations till now. Besides this, RPF has conducted meetings with the sarpanch of all villages in the vicinity of railway tracks. More than 50 meetings have been conducted this year.

Resident/cattle grazers of nearby villages where such incidents take place are being counseled not to let their livestock graze near the railway tracks, as there are chances of the livestock entering or crossing the tracks and getting run over by the speeding trains.

Dumping of garbage along the railway tracks by the people is also a cause, as this attracts the cattle to graze near the railway lands/tracks. RPF Mumbai Division is also working in close coordination with city administration and city police to prevent the movement of stray cattle near railway tracks.

Western Railway is taking stringent action against the violators, whose cattle is found moving in railway land/area.

As per the provisions of Railways Act 1989, owners of cattle are liable to be punished under Section 154 (Endangering safety of persons travelling by railway by willful act or omission, punishable with imprisonment for 1 year, or with fine or both) and under Section 147 (Trespass and refusal to desist from trespass, punishable with imprisonment for 6 months, or fine Rs. 1000/- or both).

Western Railway has appealed to cattle owners/cattle grazers to not let their animals come near railway land/tracks. Stringent action will be taken under the law against the violators.