Since August 2023, there have been no deaths at the once-notorious level-crossing gate in Diva, thanks to a string of safety measures adopted to bring down the worrying number of fatalities. The development becomes more significant, given the fact that the Diva station serves approx 1.26 lakh passengers daily.
In an affidavit recently submitted to the Bombay High Court, the Central Railways, Mumbai division, confirmed that no mishaps have taken place in the last one year. There were 24 fatalities and three injuries in the first eight months of 2023. In 2022, a total of 26 people died and five were wounded.
The affidavit highlighted the success of a series of safety measures implemented to address the crossing's previous high accident rate. These steps include the installation of escalators, an extended skywalk leading to a newly-built foot overbridge and the deployment of Railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel to prevent trespassing. Additional measures include the application of grease to ropes under the gate boom for smooth opening, blocking of platform ends, removal of ramps and placement of barbed wire over the level-crossing gate to deter risky behaviour among commuters.
“The safety improvements, including the installation of barbed wire over the level-crossing gate and continuous security personnel monitoring, have been credited with eliminating accidents at the crossing,” said an official. Mission zero death initiative, led by the CR expert team, was instrumental in identifying and addressing key issues. Recommendations such as erecting warning signs, displaying fatality data and reconstructing broken infrastructure were promptly implemented, the official added.
Handling 426 slow services and 53 fast trains each day, the Diva station generates around Rs6.62 lakh in ticket sales.
