08 May,2014 07:02 AM IST | | A Correspondent
Authorities conducted drives at Pimpri and Chinchwad stations, nabbing students and office goers crossing tracks
Early on Wednesday morning, a team of six railway officials conducted surprise checks at Pimpri, Kasarwadi and Chinchwad railway stations to nab passengers crossing the railway tracks.
TIMELY ACTION: The drive was conducted between 6.30 and 10.30 am, when students and office-goers throng the railway tracks. Pic/Mohan Patil
The drive was spurred by the recent accident near Yevat in the Pune railway division, when a tractor was driven into the railway tracks through the crossing, injuring several people.
To avoid such incidents and take action against passengers who break the rules, authorities conducted the drive from 6.30 am to 10.30 am - the duration in which school students and office-goers throng the railway tracks to catch local trains.
"People seem to be ignorant of the rule that crossing railway tracks is illegal according to the railways act, and that there is a fine of R1,000 or an imprisonment of six months for those who break this rule. It has become a daily habit of people to walk over the tracks, using it as a shortcut. Today, we caught more than 100 passengers - including school students, senior citizens and even some government employees," said railway spokesperson Y K Singh.
Singh added, "None of them were fined today, as we only wanted to create awareness about this serious issue, which could claim lives. There are spots near Pimpri and Chinchwad stations that are very dangerous, where passengers have no clue about the direction from which trains come. People should avoid crossing railway tracks and use foot over bridges to cross."
A railway ticket checker said, requesting anonymity: "The traffic police need to monitor the crossing and the tracks near the station from where people may try to cross them. This is never done, and so people cross the tracks with impunity every day."
