Even as passengers lose their lives after getting hit by electricity poles that are dangerously close to the railway tracks, no immediate solution seem to be in sight.
Pooh-poohing the findings of Government Railway Police (GRP) that identified three such poles between Pune and Chinchwad, Central Railways authorities claim that the Pune-Lonavla railway section is safe.
The issue came into focus with the killer pole on Harris Bridge in Dapodi claiming the lives of two people since May 6 and a total of at least four lives over the past four years.
The GRP officers say that close proximity of the poles to the tracks poses danger to passengers, especially those on local trains, as they get hit by the poles and lose their lives. They have found one pole near Pimpri railway station and another near Chinchwad railway station as dangerous to passengers.
GRP senior police inspector Mahendra Rokade told dna, “I have been following up with the railway authorities for the past three years. No action has been taken by them yet. Their indifferent attitude has claimed the lives of passengers. The Pune-Lonavla railway line is a virtual death track.”
Pune railway division public relations officer YK Singh said, “Many local and express trains go on this route. During peak hours, local trains between Pune and Lonavla are almost full of passengers. Yet such incidents rarely happen and that too because of carelessness of passengers.”
GRP has sent many letters to the Railways to ensure the presence of an ambulance at the railway station. There have been instances where people have lost their lives after falling from trains or getting injured while going through the railway crossing.
Rokade said, “There is no ambulance at the railway station. Many people have lost their lives waiting for ambulances. The lives of passengers hit by the pole and falling from the train could be saved if there is an ambulance.”
Singh said, “We have a railway ambulance at the Pune railway station. The station master at the other railway stations have contact with the nearest hospitals.”
BOX
Death toll
December 12, 2009
Aniket Patil (20), an engineering student, fell off a Pune-Lonavla local train at Harris Bridge after being hit by the pole
September 19, 2010
Pradeep Ramesh Bajaj (19) fell into the Mutha river from a local train on Harris Bridge when he was trying to throw a coin into the river to seek blessings and got hit by the pole.
May 6, 2013
Sohel Shaikh (17) died while on his way to work on his first day after being hit by the pole at Harris Bridge
June 11, 2013
Safiuddin Ansari (17) died after being hit by the pole. He was travelling home after filling his SSC (external) form
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