With focus being on safety, railway authorities have proposed to eliminate more unmanned level-crossings in Tiruchi Division by converting them into manned gates or limited use subways.
The divisional railway authorities have identified 35 unmanned crossings on various sections in the division for conversion during the current fiscal.
The plan is to convert 20 of them into manned gates and the rest into limited use subways.
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Railway officials say nine unmanned crossings in the Villupuram–Mayiladuthurai section; five in Villupuram–Katpadi and two each in Tiruchi–Vriddhachalam; Villupuram– Puducherry and Thanjavur–Karaikal sections would be converted into manned gates.
The limited use subways in lieu of unmanned crossings would come up in Tiruchi – Vriddhachalam (6), Villupuram–Katpadi (6), Cuddalore Port – Vriddhachalam Junction (2) and one in Villupuram–Puducherry sections.
Encompassing over 10 revenue districts, the Tiruchi Division accounts for 574 level crossings of which 345 are manned.
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The over 220 unmanned level crossings were converted into manned gates or limited use subways gradually every year.
TVU benchmarkUsually, unmanned crossings with over 3,000 train vehicle units (TVUs) a day are chosen for conversion, say railway sources.
The TVUs are calculated by taking into account the number of trains passing through the unmanned crossing and the number of three-wheelers, four-wheelers, and bullock carts.
According to railway officials, the Villupuram–Katpadi broad gauge section constitutes a maximum number of 60 unmanned crossings in Tiruchi Division.
The Cuddalore–Vriddhachalam, Villupuram–Mayiladuthurai, Tiruchi–Villupuram, Villupuram–Puducherry, Tiruchi–Mayiladuthurai and Tiruchi–Karaikal are the other BG sections with double digit unmanned crossings.
The officials say in the 2013-14 fiscal three accidents on unmanned crossings were reported in the division.
The first accident occurred between Tiruvennainallur and Parikkal where a special train hit a tipper lorry that had trespassed the track claiming the life of the truck driver in June last year.
The second one was reported between Chinnababusamudhram and Puducherry where a passenger train hit a car in September 2013. No casualty was reported.
The third accident occurred on the Turinjapuram–Agaramsibbandhi (in Villupuram – Katpadi BG section) in which a train hit a bus that had trespassed the track in March 2014. No casualty was reported.
The onus was on road users to take adequate precautions before proceeding through an unmanned crossing ahead of which warning boards had been installed, railway sources said.
Alongside converting unmanned crossings in a bid to prevent accidents, railway officials say ambush checks and safety-related campaigns were conducted to create awareness among the people at regular intervals.
In connection with the International Level Crossing Day on June 3, Southern Railway is observing level-crossing awareness week from June 2 to 6 by organising awareness campaigns through various modes.