Trains to move at 15km per hour in ghat areas: ECR

PATNA: To prevent an Amritsar-like tragedy in Bihar, the East Central Railway (ECR) has beefed up safety measures at the ghats located near the railway tracks at different places under its jurisdiction ahead of Chhath celebrations.

At least 60 people watching Ravanvadh near a railway track lost their lives after they were run over by a train in Amritsar this Dussehra.

According to ECR chief public relations officer (CPRO) Rajesh Kumar, the ECR has identified 100 and odd ghats as highly sensitive in view of their proximity to railway tracks. “We have taken measures to prevent recurrence of the Amritsar-like bloodbath on the tracks during Chhath celebrations in Bihar,” he told TOI on Monday.

A lookout notice has been issued to loco pilots, asking them to move cautiously in areas where people have converged near ponds, canals and rivers to offer ‘arghya’ to the rising and setting sun on Tuesday evening and Wednesday morning.

The loco pilots have also been asked to whistle continuously while passing through such crowded areas, Kumar said and added the speed limit of passenger train would be restricted to 15km per hour in the crowded areas during Chhath festivities.

According to Danapur DRM Ranjan Prakash Thakur, the Danapur division has also identified the ghats located near the tracks on the Patna-Buxar, Patna-Mokama and Mokma-Jhajha mainline routes as well as Patna-Gaya, Kiul-Gaya, Fatuha-Islampur and Danapur-Pataliputra Junction sections.

“We will deploy Railway Protection Force’s men and women at all such sensitive places to make people follow safety measures while crossing the tracks during Chhath festivities,” Thakur said.

The CPRO said several ghats in the Samastipur rail division were also located near the tracks. These ghats are mostly in Sitamarhi, Saharsa, Madhepura, Madhubani, Kishanganj, Sheohar and Purnia areas. “Loco pilots have been directed to use their headlights and whistle while passing through the ghat areas,” he said.