New Delhi, March 26
Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Thursday directed officials across all railway zones to prepare a plan for building subways near settlement areas along tracks to help people cross safely and reduce accidents. The Ministry said it aims to cover all settlement areas located near railway tracks across the country over the next five to six years.
At a workshop with railway officials, Vaishnaw said the subways should be designed in a way that encourages people to use them and ensures they do not face waterlogging during the monsoon.
“These subways will be built near settlements where locals have to cross the track frequently for their day-to-day activities. The initiative has been taken to prevent accidents while crossing railway tracks,” the Railway Ministry said in a statement.
It said the installations would be planned so that construction requires only a 12-hour block on rail traffic.
Officials said many settlements are located on one side of railway tracks, while farms, schools, crematoriums and other frequently visited places lie on the other side, forcing residents to cross the tracks regularly.
“Several cases of accidents are being reported from various parts of the country every day. The subways will prevent accidents during crossing of the tracks. These subways will prove to be a boon for a large population of the country,” an official said.
The ministry said the decision followed several days of consultations with officials.
