ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: In a bid to avoid and check accidents on railway tracks, Ministry of Railways is making tireless efforts to deploy gatekeepers at all rail crossings points across the country in collaboration with provincial governments.
“In this regard Minister for Railways Khawaja Saad Rafique has written letters to chief executives of all provinces to release funds for the conversion of un-manned level crossings into manned level crossings,” official sources in the Ministry of Railways told APP.
They said the Punjab government had released Rs 555 million where 95 per cent most dangerous unmanned level crossings had so far been made manned.
“Pakistan Railways has asked other provincial governments to cooperate in this regard and join hands with the railways to protect precious lives of people,” the sources added.
They said that new accident compensation policy had been introduced and now Rs 1 million were being given in case of casualty and Rs 300,000 in case of injury under the postal insurance scheme.
There are over 2,000 unmanned railway level crossings and the Pakistan Railways was quite serious in providing gates at the vulnerable unmanned level crossings with the cooperation of concerned provinces.
It was worth mentioning that in terms of Section 12 of the Railway Act 1890, the responsibility for up-gradation of unmanned level crossing lies with the concerned provincial governments and authorities, for which the ministry would provide all possible technical assistance.
“More than 100 people have lost their lives and 160 sustained injuries in around 800 accidents at manned and unmanned level crossings all over the country during last five years,” they added.
They said that migration of rural population to towns, reduction of agricultural land near cities and their conversion into residential localities, increase in vehicles number and the growing intolerance among the public, were the main causes that resulted in rise in accidents at the unmanned level crossings.
“A sum of over Rs 11 billion will be required to convert the unmanned level crossings into manned ones,” he said.
