Unmanned crossings: SC seeks Railways response in four weeks

New Delhi, July 26 (UNI) Taking serious note of increasing number of accidents at unmanned railway crossings, the Supreme Court today directed Ministry of Railways to file its status report within four weeks on how it proposes to tackle the problem of 20,313 (55 per cent) unmanned level crossings in the country.

A bench comprising Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan and Justices R V Raveendran and Dalveer Bhandari also directed ten states and Union Territories who have not filed their response till date to file the same.

Railway Ministry in its affidavit informed the court that it proposed to start manning of 1018 unmanned level crossings, where the pressure of traffic is heavy and out of that 365 have been targetted for manning in 2005-2006 and the total number of level crossings manned in last ten years, i.e., up to December 2005 is 1101.

When the court asked what about the remaining unmanned level crossings in the country, the counsel for Railways responded by saying that traffic at remaining level crossings was negligible and manning was not required.

In all, 21 states have filed their response so far.

The court was hearing a PIL filed on behalf of Consumers' Education and Research Center (CERC).

According to the petitioner, 73 per cent railway accidents occur at unmanned level crossings, as there is no one to check the train as well as vehicular traffic passing through these level crossings.

The court told the railways that ''it is a serious matter and you can't take the things lightly.'' The total number of manned level crossings in the country is 16642 (45 per cent).

UNI