Forty seven-year-old Dr. Chintha Illangasinghe is battling for her life at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the Kurunegala Hospital, while her husband, also a doctor, is being treated for injuries after an office train ploughed into their car at an unprotected level crossing in Wellawa, Kurunegala this week.
On that fateful night, Dr. P. Illangasinghe (48) and his wife were on their way home after a busy day. While crossing the unguarded crossing, Dr. Illangasinghe’s attention was diverted by an altercation between a group of people, and hence failed to notice the approaching Maho office train, which crashed into his car and dragged it for several metres, though the train had slowed down as it approached the station.
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| Enderamulla: An unprotected railway crossing (above) and (below) a crossing that has a light system. Pix by Sanka Vidanagama |
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| Kurunegala: The scene of the accident. The badly damaged car is visible
in the background . Pic by Pushpa Kumara Jayaratne |
Today, the couple’s new car, worth about Rs. five million is a complete wreck.
Unprotected railway crossings continue to claim lives and injure, maim and cripple many more on a regular basis, especially with the increase in express trains.
According to the Railways Department, there are 621 unprotected level crossings across the country’s rail tracks that cover 1,149 km. The highest of 163 is along the coastline from Colombo Fort to Galle. Others include 121 from Ragama to Puttalam , 92 from Polgahawela to Vavuniya, 81 from Maho to Batticaloa, 62 between Galle and Matara, 16 from Gal Oya to Trincomalee , nine from Peradeniya to Matale, 59 from Colombo Fort to Badulla and 28 along the Kelani Valley Line from Colombo Fort to Avissawella) P.D. Michael (51), a trishaw driver operating near the Enderamulla rail crossing, said that, despite a bell and light system, around three accidents occur there every month.“There are instances of the bell ringing when there is no train, while sometimes it rings for a long time after the train has left. Hence people around here hardly pay heed to the warnings. It is also important to cut off branches of trees that obstruct the view of oncoming trains,” he said.
K.D. Amarawickrema (68) a train commuter for more than 30 years, says that, throughout the years he has seen an increase in reckless driving, as well as failure by authorities to put up protected crossings.
“Accidents mainly occur during office and school hours, because some motorists and pedestrians are in a hurry and try to cross the rail track even when the gates are closed,” he said.
Last year, 75 train accidents were reported by Sri Lanka Railways (SLR) with 11 deaths. In 2009, 66 accidents took place with 20 deaths reported.
Ragama Teaching Hospital, Assistant Coroner Deepal Fernando said around five to seven accidents are reported every month, with victims mostly being motorists, motorcyclists, trishaw drivers and their passengers. He said these victims sustain multiple injuries.
Colombo National Hospital Accident Service Director Prasad Ariyawansa said there had been 12 level crossing accidents reported from March to May this year.
“Four died on admission. Most of the accidents occur out of Colombo and seriously injured cases are admitted to the Accident Service,” he said.
SLR Additional General Manager (Operations), Nalaka Bandara told the Sunday Times that, despite warning boards, bell and light systems and mechanical gates, motorists and commuters tend to cross the railway track, heedless of the risks.
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A man crosses the railway line while
a train approaches |
Number of unprotected railway level crossings |
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“Laws should be introduced against crossing rail tracks despite warnings. The police who enforce motor traffic rules, should also look into breach of railway laws by reckless drivers,” he said. Of the 452 protected rail crossings at present, 84 are automatic, 125 manual, 35 farm type gates, 59 bell and light systems and 149 manual bamboo gates.
Mr. Bandara said that with increasing traffic density, more vehicles use level crossings, and therefore more effective rail gates will be introduced.
“The speed, especially on coastline rail tracks is around 80 to 90 kmph, and the department is hoping to increase it to 120 kmph. At unprotected level crossings, people or vehicles crossing them won’t be aware of the speed of the approaching train,” he said.
On the right track
On Thursday, the government announced that the Cabinet had approved an allocation of Rs. 1,000 million for the purchase of 200 of the latest safety systems at railway crossings. |
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