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18 rly level crossings unsafe in Joypurhat

Thursday, 28 October 2010


Our Correspondent
JOYPURHAT, Oct 27: At least 18 level crossings are unsafe in Jaipurhat district rail line area for a long time. As a result 15 accidents have occurred during last three years in which 57 persons died and 200 others were critically injured, according to Rail way department sources.
There are 47 kilometers of rail road and 31 level crossings in the district. From these, 18 level crossing stand without gate and gateman. On the level crossing all types of vehicles are running with big risk.
Last year on 11 July in 2006 a big accident occurred near Akkelpur Woman College level crossing between train and passenger-bus. A Khulna-bound Rupsha intercity train hit the Joypurhat bound passenger bus killing 37 persons including women and children.
In the running year on 16 February at the gateless level crossing of Kashiabari near the Joypurhat Sugar mill a Khulna bound Rocket mail train leaving from Parbatipur hit a sand laden truck and 7 passengers died on the spot and 30 persons others injured.
Besides this, in last 3 years at least 13 persons died and 50 others injured in such accidents in the district.
After the 2 big accidents, Joypurhat Deputy Commissioner and Rail way department authority formed separate investigation teams which submitted their reports. The investigation teams indicated 9 causes for the accidents, gateless or no gateman at the level crossings, unplanned road construction, negligence of the vehicles driver, and so on.
Railway department said that Roads Department made their roads through the rail-line without their permission. But after the accident they wanted guards for the unsafe crossings which is not provided by the authority.
On the other hand executive engineer of the Roads and Highway Department Abdul Mannan urged that for developing the communication sector they made the roads through the rail-line, so railway department should take step for the gateless level crossing.
Abdul Karim, Station Master of Joypurhat railway station said that gateless crossing and no gateman are the major causes of the accident.