The number of people getting killed in train-related accidents in the southern suburbs is on the rise. Compared to 2010, the number of fatalities increased last year.
This year, nearly 30 people have already died in similar accidents — the latest victim being an 18-year-old first year engineering student who was killed near Tambaram last Wednesday while travelling on the footboard of a crowded suburban train.
Nearly 40 km of the railway lines between St. Thomas Mount and Singaperumal Koil railway stations comes under the jurisdiction of Government Railway Police Station, Tambaram. On this stretch, 165 people were killed in rail-related accidents — either getting hit by trains while crossing the tracks or falling off compartments while travelling on footboard — in 2009. The figure marginally went up to 168 in 2010 and increased to 181 last year.
R.M. Mukunthan, treasurer of Paranur-Perungalathur Rail Commuters' Association, said Chennai is rapidly expanding beyond Tambaram and the number of train services simply did not match the requirements of students and office-goers wanting to reach different parts of the city.
Several thousand people arrive at Perungalathur in mofussil and long-distance government and private buses in the morning rush hour. From there they take electric trains to reach Chennai. Mr. Mukunthan said the frequency of trains from Chengalpattu to Tambaram during the morning rush hour needed to be increased. With the steep hike in bus fares, he said, more people preferred to travel in trains — another factor for the increase in its patronage.
Officers of Railway Protection Force in Tambaram said it was common to see young school and college boys travelling footboard even when compartments were not crowded, and alighting or boarding while the train was in motion. It is nearly impossible to keep a check on them, they said.
Speaking on mobile phones or listening to music while crossing the track is one of the biggest reasons for people to be hit by trains. On Monday, a young man, barely 20, was hit by a train near Pallavaram railway station. He was listening to FM radio when the accident took place, police said, adding that Chromepet, Irumbuliyur and Potheri witness such accidents frequently.
Officials from the safety division of Southern Railway said the annual safety week came to an end on Friday, and during the past seven days, they had carried out a number of awareness programmes. They said it was sad to note that a good number of victims in such accidents were in the age group 20-40.
Officials said the accident rate would come down considerably if passengers used foot over-bridges instead of crossing the tracks. Commuters, on the other hand, complain that passenger-friendly amenities are not yet completely in place in suburban station.
