Fencing mooted along rail tracks

Thiruvananthapuram: Southern Railway, Thiruvananthapuram division, has proposed to construct fences to prevent dumping of garbage near railway tracks. Fencing is mooted along the tracks from Thiruvananthapuram Central to Pettah railway station. The aim is to keep the area garbage-free as part of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan.
The Thampanoor–Pettah tracks run along the densely-populated areas of the city and dumping of waste is a common practice here, especially during the night hours.
According to a railway official, dumping of waste is a major issue for the railways and strict action is taken against people caught dumping waste in railway property. The Railway Protection Force (RPF), commercial staff and other railway staff had conducted a mapping of vulnerable areas between Thiruvananthapuram Central and Pettah, based on directives from division authority a few months ago. Regular inspections are conducted at these spots to check the issue.
The plan is to ensure fencing for around 3km railway tracks from Thiruvananthapuram Central to Pettah station.
As many as six CCTV cameras are installed in the stretch between Thiruvananthapuram Central and Pettah. Penalty is imposed on people caught dumping waste in the railway tracks.
“Strict checking on dumping of garbage on railway property was intensified after a team from National Green Tribunal (NGT) visited the station in August last year. The vulnerable spots are regularly monitored by RPF officers. Around Rs 2 lakh was collected as penalty for dumping waste in railway property including, railway tracks, open areas and station premises in 2019. Despite these measures, people continue to dump waste and fencing along the tracks was proposed as a solution. The fences will have a height of four to five feet,” said Ajay Kaushik, station director, Thiruvananthapuram Central railway station.
In a recent case in January, a team of RPF officers had caught a group of people who tried to dump waste on railway track in the city. Penalty was imposed on them and they were made to take back the garbage. tnn