Pune division officials grapple with trespassing on rail tracks

PUNE: How to control trespassers on railway tracks? This is the question senior officials at the Pune rail division are struggling to find an answer to, considering 135 people have been run over by trains in the division this year so far while trespassing on the tracks.
"We have been trying hard to plug all the gaps to improve the situation. However, concerns remain, for which fresh measures will be tried and employed. People do not realize that trespassing, littering and open defecation on tracks damages them. This could ultimately result in accidents. Many people have died due to trespassing this year and it is one of the biggest challenges for us," Pune divisional railway manager (DRM) Milind Deouskar said while addressing a news conference on Wednesday.



A total of 122 people were killed due to trespassing in the Pune division last year. "Open defecation along the tracks is prevalent in almost all places along the division. The Sangam Bridge track area, Shivajinagar, Khadki, Dapodi, Hadalsar, Ghorpadi are just a few spots which have been identified so far. The same spots are known for people littering on the tracks too. We have tried to create blocks in the form of barbed wires and walls, but to no avail. We are now looking for more alternatives. We believe that the best thing we can do is to try and make people in these areas aware about the dangers of such acts," the senior official said.

Earlier this month, rail officials identified 10 points across 13 railway stations of the Pune division as high-risk zones when it comes to trespassing on the tracks. Officials are now talking about an intensified drive with hefty fines to curtail the menace that trespassing has become.

"We have planned a door-to-door campaign where our officials will visit each housing unit located near the railway tracks to distribute pamphlets about the dangers of trespassing, littering and defecating along the tracks. The pamphlets will also talk about the legal aspect of these actions. Though a similar drive has been conducted by the Railway Protection Force (RPF), we need to carry on with this campaign on a continuous basis to create awareness," Deouskar said.

He added that the railways can levy a fine of Rs 500 to Rs 1,000 for such offenses. "Having said that, the Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad municipal corporations have a bigger role to play in these cases. According to the guidelines of the National Green Tribunal, the corporations can slap heavy fines on people violating the rules," Deouskar said.