Within days of 12 people dying in an accident at an unmanned level crossing in Hisar, the Haryana Government has taken note of this hazard and decided to eliminate all such crossings in the State.
Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar said on Monday that now no railway crossing in the State would remain unmanned and for this either Limited Height Subway (LHS) would be constructed or personnel would be deployed to reduce accidents and loss of life.
He said the Government has written to Northern Railway, Northern Western Railway and Northern Central Railway urging them to provide planning for the manning of all level crossings in the State. On its part, the Haryana Government will also provide assistance for the same, if required, he said.
In an action plan submitted to Railways, it has been mentioned that Haryana has 119 unmanned level crossings falling under Northern Railway out of which 89 could be eliminated by construction of LHS, three by merger or diversion and two unmanned level crossing by closing down due to low Train Vehicle Units (TVU). Mr Khattar said 25 unmanned level crossings are under planning for manning or LHS.
Similarly out of 68 unmanned level crossings falling under Northern Western Railway, 37 could be eliminated by construction of LHS, 19 by merger with other manned and 12 by way of manning.
The Haryana Government has already given its consent for construction of 68 LHS out of railway funds. As many as 65 Railway over Bridges (RoBs) or Railway under Bridges (RuBs) have been completed on busy level crossings in the State and 28 similar are in progress. The Chief Minister 32 RoBs or RuBs are in pipeline and would be taken up soon.
