Mumbai: This Yamraj saves your life

RPF constable Karambir Dahiya dressed as Yamraj goes after errant commuters, as part of the Zero Deaths Mission, aimed at minimising fatalities at railway stations in the city. Pics/Sameer Markande

Dressed in a black velvet coat with gold trimmings, a white pearl necklace strung around his neck and brandishing a mace made of gold paper and cardboard in his hand, Yamraj appears on a bustling platform of the Churchgate station, drawing both amusement and curiosity from onlookers. The flashy black-and-gold costume on the tall and hefty man looks both comical and jarring at the same time, and that is exactly the purpose.

And no, this is not a film shoot at the busy station. Yamraj is actually Karambir Dahiya, a constable with the Railway Protection Force and the man is on a mission.
His first ‘victim' is a hapless commuter looking to save a quick minute by crossing over the tracks, instead of walking down the length of the platform. Stunned by the God of Death's sudden manifestation when all he wanted to do was catch that elusive Borivli Fast local, he's soon confronting the reality that the one minute he tried to save could have been the last minute he had to live. Yamraj reminds him that it's safest to waste a minute than to risk his life.

Despite repeated awareness campaigns and regular action taken by all authorities concerned, track-crossing, and the resulting deaths, remain one of the biggest challenges faced by the Railways.

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"I think it's a good awareness mission to help passengers understand their mistakes," says Dahiya, who goes after track-crossers as well as those trying to board a running train. "The aim is to bring home the seriousness of what crossing the tracks means. If we have to draw attention in such an eye-catching manner, then so be it."

The Yamraj initiative is part of the Western Railway establishment's Zero Deaths Mission, aimed at minimising fatalities on the railway tracks.

"We have adopted a multi-pronged strategy," says Sumit Thakur, the chief public relations officer, Western Railway. "As part of this strategy, the first step is to enhance the infrastructure. We have started building wider foot overbridges (FOBs). From Churchgate to Dahanu road, as of date, we have almost 150 FOBs," he says, adding, "Also, we have more than 50 lifts and 100 escalators installed on the Mumbai suburban rail route to ensure ease of movement for the passengers. The second part is the IEC campaign - Information, Education, and Counselling, for which we have enrolled celebrities to drive the message home."

mid-day had reported in its April 12 edition that Borivli station had the highest number of deaths due to track-crossings in the financial year 2022. In the financial year 2022-23, WR recorded 449 deaths due to trespassing on railway tracks, which is higher than the 410 deaths recorded in 2021-22. "Stations like Andheri, Jogeshwari, Borivli, Virar, and Nallasopara on the Western line have the most number of offenders. However, the numbers were lower as compared to the pre-pandemic levels. If we compare the pre-COVID data, with the current figures, there's definitely been a decline in the number of illegal trespassing deaths," Thakur says.

An RPF officer stated that this initiative was started some years ago, and is drawing positive feedback from the public.

So, the next time you see Yamraj at a railway station, don't be alarmed. This Yamraj is actually here to save your life.

449
No. of deaths due to track-crossings in FY 2022-23