As part of observing International Level Crossing Awareness Day that falls on June 9, level crossing awareness propaganda vehicles were flagged off here on Wednesday.
A. Gautam Srinivas, Divisional Railway Manager, Salem Division flagged off the propaganda vehicles at the divisional office in the presence of P. Sivalingam, Additional Divisional Railway Manager, V. Praveen Kumar, Divisional Safety Officer and railway officials.
The vehicles will visit level crossings in Salem – Namakkal – Karur, Erode – Karur – Tiruchi Town and Salem – Virudhachalam sections on Wednesday and Thursday.
Announcements and songs aimed at inculcating and improving awareness of safety at level crossings will be played and pamphlets containing safety guidelines to be observed at level crossings will be distributed to road users at various locations.
Safety Counselors from the Safety Branch of the division will also be interacting with road users and counsel them to observe all the safety precautions at level crossings. They will urge road users to pay attention to the information / warning boards at level crossings. Road users will also be counselled not to trespass closed level crossing gates and they will be advised to wait patiently for the train to pass and cross the level crossing only after the gates are opened.
A release from the division said that damaging a level crossing gate or threatening the on-duty gate keeper is a punishable offence as per Railway Act 1989 Section 160 (1) and (2).
