Thane: Despite the limited services of local trains amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19)-necessitated lockdown, the number deaths due to railway accidents amount to a total of 700 in 2020, in Mumbai division of Central Railway (CR)'s records show.
Meanwhile, a total of 139 victims were recorded to have been injured in railway-related accidents. According to an railway official from the Railway Protection Force (RPF) in Mumbai, a total of 1,763 people died and 1,800 were injured in railway accidents in 2019-20.
"Considering the pandemic situation, the railway services were non-functional during the initial days of the lockdown; however, since it began, it has been functional with limited services, with restrictions for particular groups of passengers. Besides, the maximum number of track accidents this year has been noted in the Mumbai division of the Central Railways," said the RPF official.
"Meanwhile, in 2019-2020, a total of 1,763 accidental deaths had been reported, while 1,800 were reported to have been seriously injured in various railway-related accidents under the Mumbai division of the CR. Among these total accidents, the maximum have been recorded between the Thane to Mumbra stretch, near the Kharegaon and Parsik Hill area, which comes under the Thane RPF. Hence, highlighting these accident figures, we are regularly carrying out awareness campaigns among the passengers to curb such accidents," said PB Singh, senior police inspector of the Thane RPF.
According to the railway official, most of the accidents take place while crossing railway tracks, as many passengers try to take a short route violating the rules, avoiding the footover bridge, which leads to a risk to their lives.
"Considering the increase in the accidents in the last 6 months, the CR has carried out awareness campaigns for around 36 times to curb similar such incidents," informed railway official.
Besides, the Railways will increase their vigil to keep a check on the miscreants who scribble on railway coaches.
"Strict action will be taken against passengers scribbling or writing phone numbers, odd messages, or names and so on, inside the coaches. The action against such passengers will be taken under Section 166 of the Railway Act, punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend up to one month, along with fine levied by railway officials," said Singh.
