Sunday Times 2
Unprotected railway crossings: Even presidential decrees unheeded
View(s):The yakada yaka, the iron monster we call the train, snuffed out the lives of eight people within a week recently and the media were abuzz with the news.
There was a public outcry about the lackadaisical attitude of the authorities in providing proper protection at railway crossings throughout the country.
The need of the hour is not air-conditioned luxury trains or state-of-the-art railway stations, but functional rail gates at all the crossing points in the country
Some finger pointing was levelled at the victims for their reckless driving. Everybody had something to say, because no matter who was at fault, the deaths were a waste of precious lives.
However, as always, the hype that was built around this unfortunate incident died a natural death. And as it is often the case in many a such traumatic situation, the loved ones of the victims were left to deal with their grief on their own, while the authorities debated as to who should be responsible for this situation.
Eight deaths within a week were indeed too large a number for even President Mahinda Rajapaksa to ignore. He immediately instructed relevant officials to take remedial measures to instal gates at all unprotected railway crossings. All of them? Well, it sure would seem like a dream come true if it happens. However, going by the data available nothing concrete seems to have been done to rectify this life-threatening situation and the loss of life continues at these crossings.
The loss is irreparable to the family members but does anyone really care? Even today the authorities turn a blind eye on these looming death traps, the unprotected railway crossings, and the numbers that die at these crossings continue to swell.
There is an urgent need for action to protect lives at unprotected railway crossings. Why the authorities wait until an accident occurs to even pay attention to this grave problem is hard to comprehend because it is not as if we are dealing here with an unforeseen force that gobbles up life mysteriously.
Whether these deaths occur due to the recklessness or carelessness of the victims is irrelevant and would certainly not become even a mooting point if the authorities take measures to ensure the safety of the people by installing rail gates.
It is a fact that no one with a sound mind would deliberately attempt to cross a closed rail gate. Of course there are instances where some men with macho attitudes have risked crossing these points, especially when under the influence of liquor. Some have escaped unhurt and others have paid with their lives. However, this is an entirely different issue that also needs to be dealt with via various measures to bring about an attitudinal change.
According to the railway authorities there are about 750 unprotected crossings across the country and the Government would have to incur about Rs. 300,000 or more to instal fully equipped protective gates at just one crossing. Of course, the total cost to instal gates at all these crossings seems enormous in figures, but when compared to the number of human lives it would help save, it is just a drop in the ocean, especially against the backdrop of the ongoing mega development drive of the Government.
When one takes into account the mega development projects the Government has undertaken to carry out at huge costs, can spending such a large sum of money to construct gates at these death traps be considered a waste? Certainly not. In fact, many are of the view that it should be a top priority on the list of the numerous development plans presently being drawn up by the Government. However, at a time when priorities certainly seem to be mixed in many a quarter with prominence being given to infrastructure projects which more often than not end up as showpieces, it is hard to believe that even a Presidential directive would be honoured by the relevant authorities .
The money allocated to the various ministries for development should be spent wisely, to meet the urgent needs of the people. However, when the authorities go off the track with their blind egos and greed for money and power, losing sight of even a Presidential directive, what can be expected? It is said that “one could take a horse to the water but you cannot make it drink”.
The authorities should be held accountable for every loss of life at these railway crossings. It is the responsibility of the Government to ensure the safety of the public and channel some of the funds spent on these mega projects towards this cause and many other shortcomings which bear a direct impact on life.
The need of the hour is not air-conditioned luxury trains or state-of-the-art railway stations, but functional rail gates at all the crossing points in the country.
-The Voice