The Level Crossing Awareness Week being observed by the Mysuru Division of the South Western Railway is part of a nation-wide drive to reduce accidents at level-crossing gates.
This entails education by way of raising awareness, enforcement through safety drives; and engineering by improving road surfaces, eliminating level-crossing gates by providing a diversion or constructing road under-bridges or road over-bridges.
Railway officials here pointed out that a majority of accidents at the gates were caused by unwary motorists or pedestrians. To reduce accidents at unmanned LC gates, the authorities have provided warning boards and deputed 79 Gate Mitras across Mysore Division. The gate mitras besides blowing a whistle when a train is approaching, draw the attention of motorists by waving flags.
The onus on protecting oneself is with the motorists and the pedestrians as the locomotive pilot can do nothing to stop an approaching train at high speed. Loco-pilots have been instructed to keep the whistle on while approaching such level-crossing gates and till the train crosses it.
An awareness drive was conducted with the help of scouts and guides besides distributing safety tips on board trains and at level crossings.
A three -pronged strategy of education, enforcement and engineering was put forth by authorities
