The Dindigul Sub-Division of Southern Railway has plans to deploy personnel to man unmanned level crossings and assist passengers to cross the track safely from dawn to dusk. A total of 57 unmanned level crossings will be covered in the sub-division to ensure cent per cent safety to the public and to check accidents, according to Senior Divisional Engineer K.G. Gnanasekaran.
Talking to The Hindu here on Friday, he said that manning unmanned level crossings on Dindigul and Tiruchi, Dindigul and Kodai Road and Dindigul and Pollachi sections would be handed over to a private agency.
The Southern Railway will impart training to these personnel, called ‘Gate Mitras,’ on how to handle unmanned level crossings.
The ‘Gate Mitras’ will be given a reflector jacket, flags and an identity card. The railway administration will provide shelters for them near the crossings. They will alert road users about arrival of trains and help them cross the track safely. At the time of arrival of trains, they will stop vehicles a few yards away. Such measures would help check accidents, he said.
A special training to ‘Gate Mitras’ will commence on June 9. After the training, they will be deputed to the respective unmanned level crossings immediately for regular work.
Lack of patience among vehicle users was the common reason for accidents at unmanned level crossings, he added.
Already, the Dindigul Sub-Division had deputed a railway staff to the unmanned level crossing no.3 in the Dindigul-Palani section near NGO Colony. A woman employee is present at the level crossing during day time to alert the public. Movement of vehicles is heavy at this point during morning and evening hours. She will be called back after deployment of regular ‘Gate Mitras.’ Caution boards have also been kept on both sides of the unmanned level crossings to alert road users. Sources said that the Southern Railway was taking all efforts to convert unmanned level crossings into either manned level crossings or provide limited use sub-ways.
The Madurai Railway Division has a total of 709 level crossings among which 415 gates are manned.
