Open level crossings pose life risk to commuters
Left without any gate and gateman for years, Amtra level crossing in Akkelpur upazila of Joypurhat district remains highly risky for vehicles. The spot saw death of 35 people in a train-bus collision five years ago but authorities continued turning a blind eye to the serious matter. Photo: STAR
'Amtra rail crossing' in Akkelpur upazila of Joypurhat that saw 35 people killed and 33 others wounded in a bus-train collusion in July 2006 still keeps thousands of commuters vulnerable to accidents as no rail gate has been built there five years into the tragic accident. There are about 20 such level crossings without any rail gate and gateman on 60-kilometre rail track in the district, Joypurhat railway sources said. However, they could not say how many of the level crossings are without approval of the railway department. On July 11 in 2006, a passenger bus got stuck on that level crossing due to engine failure when Khulna-bound Rupsha Express train rammed into it and dragged for about 300 yards before throwing it into a roadside ditch in a mangled form. Twenty-eight passengers died on the spot and the death toll later rose to 35. Halima Begum of Shantagram in Akkelpur upazila, who lost her two sons and husband in that accident, is yet to get back normalcy. Sources at Joypurhat railway said Naogaon-Joypurhat road that crossed the railway tracks at Amtra in Akkelpur upazila was built without any permission from the railway authorities and so no gateman is posted at the unapproved level crossing. The railway office wrote several letters to Bangladesh Roads and Highways Department (RHD) in Joypurhat to build a rail gate at that point but to no effect, sources said. "The RHD in the district built the road without any permission from the railway authority. It is their responsibility to build a rail gate as they built the road illegally over the railway land," said Md Abdul Hamid, stationmaster of Joypurhat. When contacted, Suruj Miah, executive engineer of Joypurhat RHD, said, "We wrote to the higher authorities in this regard. I will again place the matter to the authority soon. A rail gate will be built on the spot if we get fund."
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel.
Comments